Yu xuan Tang-Song shi chun 御選唐宋詩醇 [Finest Pieces of Tang and Song Poetry, Selected by...
47 juan & two vols. of index in 25 vols. 8vo, orig. wrappers (some light browning throughout). [China]: after 1760.
An early edition, first printed in 1751, of this selection of poetry by eight famous writers from the Tang (618-907 CE) and (Northern and Southern) Song (960-1279 CE) periods. Nominally the collection was made by the Qianlong emperor, who was himself a productive poet. If one goes by the number of poems published in Qianlong’s name, the emperor “was by far the most prolific poet in Chinese history” (he published more than 42,000 pieces)” (Fang Chao-ying, “Hung-Li,” 371). Those poems... More