Book of Songs (Shi-Jing)

Believed by some to have been compiled by Confucius, the Book of Songs (or Shi-jing) is the oldest existing anthology of Chinese poetry, comprising 305 works dating from the 11th to 7th centuries BCE. Some feature shorter lyrics in simple language that reflects the voice of the common people—folk songs addressing love and courtship, political satire, and protest. Others focus on court life and dynasties, and nearly all the songs rhyme. This stunning dual-language edition features 32 of the most beautiful verses, including “Se Miu,” about a man exhaustedly working for the king, and “Odes Of Yong (Bo Zhou),” a melancholy love poem. In the same way that Homer’s epics took hold within the West, the Book of Songs’ influence extends beyond literature onto education, politics, and communal life.