诗经 (Shījīng): the Book of Songs (Classic of P…

Meanings

1 the Book of Songs (Classic of Poetry)
2 the oldest Chinese poetry collection, one of the Five Classics

Characters

诗

Examples

《诗经》是中国最早的诗歌总集。

《Shījīng》 shì Zhōngguó zuì zǎo de shīgē zǒngjí.

The Book of Songs is China's earliest collection of poetry.

他能背诵《诗经》里的很多篇目。

Tā néng bèisòng 《Shījīng》 lǐ de hěn duō piānmù.

He can recite many pieces from the Book of Songs.

Tips

history

305 poems compiled roughly 1000-600 BCE, from the Zhou dynasty. Divided into 风 (airs of the states, folk songs), 雅 (court hymns) and 颂 (sacrificial odes). Confucius is traditionally credited with editing it.

In Pop Culture

关关雎鸠，在河之洲 guān guān jū jiū, zài hé zhī zhōu

'Guan-guan cry the ospreys, on the isle in the river'

Opening lines of the very first poem 关雎, probably the single most quoted lines in all of Chinese literature.

Stroke Order

诗 shī

经 jīng

Related Words

诗词 shīcí #35,706

poetry / classical Chinese verse (shi and ci poetry combined)

经典 jīngdiǎn HSK 4 #2,927

classic; classical work / classic (adjective); iconic; timeless

诗 shī HSK 4 #2,757

poem; poetry / verse

腹有诗书气自华 fùyǒushīshūqìzìhuá

with poetry and books in your belly, your bearing naturally shines — true refinement comes from learning within / literally: when the belly holds poetry and books, one's air / aura is naturally splendid

歌诗合为事而作 gēshīhéwèishìérzuò

songs and poems ought to be composed for real events / poetry should engage with contemporary affairs / Bai Juyi's slogan for socially-committed literature

古体诗 gǔtǐshī

classical-style poetry (pre-Tang form) / old-style verse with looser metrical rules than regulated Tang poetry

五言律诗 wǔyánlǜshī

five-character regulated verse / Tang regulated form: eight lines of five characters each

诗集 shījí #22,953

poetry collection / anthology of poems

诗歌 shīgē HSK 5 #8,148

poem; poetry / verse (as a literary form)

诗情画意 shīqínghuàyì #51,520

the feel of poetry and the flavor of painting (idiom) / picturesque and poetic; lyrical charm