More than any other treasure, Shijing contains the historical roots of China, from which much of modern culture grew. From a lovelorn young man to an aging woman spurned by her wedded husband, from an elder statesman admonishing a young sovereign, to footsoldiers facing the unspeakable fate of sacrificial burial, the love and war in Shijing serves as a key to unlock the myth of Ancient China.

The book presents the reader with a fascinating glimpse of Ancient Chinese by analysing many poems in Shijing 詩經 and discussing aspects of culture and events reflected in the poems from a wide range of disciplines, including archaeology, ethnography, history and linguistics.

Reading this book will enhance the general reader’s knowledge of Chinese culture as well as familiarity with the language as a “bare-bone”. Minimalist English translation are used which enables readers getting closer to and gain a better sense and flavour of the original text.