Elegies of Chu (in Chinese, Chuci), one of the two surviving collections of ancient Chinese poetry, is a key source for the whole tradition of Chinese poetry. Because the elegies contain passionate expressions of political protest as well as shamanistic themes of magic spells and wandering spirits, they present an alternative face of early Chinese culture; one that does not align with orthodox Confucianism. This translation employs literary English devices in order to emphasise the original structure of these Chinese poems. It also examines the extraordinarily vivid diction of the source texts, including of onomatopoeia, ornate descriptions, exotic flowers, dramatic landscapes, metaphors and startling similes. This translation will be based on the original anthology compiled in the Han dynasty by Wang Yi (2nd century CE), and contains a selection of poems that were collected from the 3rd century BCE through the Han dynasty. The anthology provides readers with an understanding of Chinese literature and its evolution from free-spirited, mythico-religious songs to the more formal, polished style of the Han court.

The Residue of Dreams is the first English-language publication of the classical-style poems of Jao Tsung-i (b. 1917), a prominent artist-calligrapher, scholar-poet, and polymath living in Hong Kong. Jao's poems in various traditional forms reflect the tumultuous history of twentieth-century China, but also demonstrate the enduring resonance of its classical culture. The Residue of Dreams contains a broad-ranging selection of Jao's poems covering topics from the Second World War and his travels in Southeast Asia, to Nietzsche and the scribes of medieval Dunhuang. The poems give a vivid impression of one of the most erudite minds of our time, and show a new side of contemporary Chinese literature that has mostly been overlooked in English-language publications. All poems are presented both in the original Chinese text and in English translation, accompanied by scholarly notes with identification of many of Jao's allusions and cultural references. The introduction places Jao's poetry in the context of modern Chinese literary studies and elucidates its cultural background for general readers.

The Residue of Dreams is the first English-language publication of the classical-style poems of Jao Tsung-i (b. 1917), a prominent artist-calligrapher, scholar-poet, and polymath living in Hong Kong. Jao's poems in various traditional forms reflect the tumultuous history of twentieth-century China, but also demonstrate the enduring resonance of its classical culture. The Residue of Dreams contains a broad-ranging selection of Jao's poems covering topics from the Second World War and his travels in Southeast Asia, to Nietzsche and the scribes of medieval Dunhuang. The poems give a vivid impression of one of the most erudite minds of our time, and show a new side of contemporary Chinese literature that has mostly been overlooked in English-language publications. All poems are presented both in the original Chinese text and in English translation, accompanied by scholarly notes with identification of many of Jao's allusions and cultural references. The introduction places Jao's poetry in the context of modern Chinese literary studies and elucidates its cultural background for general readers.