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Jiu Zhang

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jiu Zhang (Chinese: 九章; pinyin: Jiu Zhang; English: Nine Pieces) is a collection of poems attributed to Qu Yuan and printed in the Chu Ci (楚辭 Songs of Chu, sometimes Songs of the South).

Title translation

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Jiu zhang is a transliteration of the title of this section of the Chu ci. Jiu means nine, as in the number. It is not entirely clear why this number was chosen to divide this work into sections, although performance purposes or imitation of prior Chu ci works are both likely factors. Zhang was commonly used in ancient Chinese to mean a section of a literary work, such as a paragraph of a prose piece or for a stanza of a song or poem.[1] Jiu zhang may also be translated into English alternatively, such as Nine Declarations.

The nine pieces

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The nine poems of the Jiu Zhang form a diverse collection.

Table of contents

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The "Nine Pieces" consists of nine titles of poems:

Standard order English translation Transcription (based on Pinyin) Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese
1 Grieving I Make My Plaint Xi Song 惜誦 惜诵
2 Crossing the River She Jiang 涉江 涉江
3 A Lament for Ying Ai Ying 哀郢 哀郢
4 The Outpouring of Sad Thoughts Chou Si 抽思 抽思
5 Embracing Sand Huai Sha 懷沙 怀沙
6 Thinking of a Fair One Si Meiren 思美人 思美人
7 Alas for the Days Gone By Xi Wangri 昔往日 昔往日
8 In Praise of the Orange-Tree Ju Song 橘頌 橘颂
9 Grieving at the Eddying Wind Bei Hui Feng 悲回風 悲回风

Note that poem numbers 1, 6, 7, and 9 actually lack titles in the original text; rather, they are named for the sake of convenience after the first few words with which these poems begin.[2] English titles based on David Hawkes' translations.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Hawkes:1985, 155
  2. ^ Hawkes:1985, 152

References

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  • Hawkes, David, translation, introduction, and notes (2011 [1985]). Qu Yuan et al., The Songs of the South: An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-044375-2
  • Mingyuan Hu, translation (2024). Lament in Love: The Verses of Qu Yuan. London: Hermits United. ISBN 978-1-7391156-4-7