compiled by Hengtang Tuishi (Sun Zhu) · Complete work
The Compiler’s Preface
The Compiler’s Preface of 8. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
世俗兒童就學，即授《千家詩》，取其易於成誦，故流傳不廢。但其詩隨手掇拾，工拙莫辨，且止五七律絕二體，而唐宋人又雜出其間，殊乖體制。因專就唐詩中膾炙人口之作，擇其尤要者，每體得數十首，共三百餘首，錄成一編，為家塾課本，俾童而習之，白首亦莫能廢，較《千家詩》不遠勝耶？諺云：「熟讀唐詩三百首，不會作詩也會吟」。請以是編驗之。
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the classical Chinese, passage for passage, covering the compiler’s preface and all 321 poems in the seven form sections.
When ordinary children begin school, they are given the Thousand Family Poems for its ease of memorization, and so it has never fallen out of circulation. Yet its poems were gathered haphazardly, with no distinction between skillful and clumsy; moreover, they comprise only regulated and quatrain verse in five and seven characters, with Tang and Song poets mingled indiscriminately, a serious violation of proper form. I have therefore selected from the Tang poems on everyone's lips the most essential examples, several dozen in each form, more than three hundred poems altogether, and compiled them into a schoolbook for home instruction. Children who learn them will not be able to put them aside even when their hair turns white. Is this not far better than the Thousand Family Poems? As the saying goes: “Read three hundred Tang poems until you know them by heart, and even if you cannot write poetry, you can recite it.” I ask you to test that saying with this collection.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the classical Chinese, covering the compiler’s preface and all 321 poems in the seven form sections.
When children begin school, they are usually given A Thousand Family Poems, because it is easy to memorize. That is why it has remained in use. But its poems were gathered haphazardly, with no distinction between good and bad. It includes only the two forms of regulated verse and short verse in five- and seven-character lines, and mixes Tang and Song poets together. This seriously fails to follow a consistent plan. So I chose only widely loved Tang poems, selecting the most important ones. I found several dozen of each form, more than three hundred in all, and put them in one collection as a textbook for home schools. If children learn them, they will still value them when their hair turns white. Isn't this much better than A Thousand Family Poems? A saying goes: “Read three hundred Tang poems well, and even if you can't write poetry, you can recite it.” Try this collection and see.