The Best Chinese Ci Poems covers 152 famous ci poems written by the masters during the Tang and Song Dynasties. The works of twenty-one poets, including Wen Tingyun, Li Yu, Liu Yong, Ouyang Xiu, Su Shi, Li Qingzhao, Lu You, Qin Quan, and Xing Qiji, are represented. Also included is a lengthy introductory section highlighting the problems and issues of translating Chinese poetry. Alternative approaches and methods for analyzing and appreciating ci poems are fully illustrated with examples. Each original poem is shown in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters. The tone, pinyin transliteration, and the literal meanings of each Chinese word or phrases are provided for easy reference. In addition, a literary translation of each poem is included to help you better understand and interpret the Chinese original. This book is especially valuable to those who want to study ci poetry from a bilingual perspective. It is also a good learning tool for those who want to learn Chinese through poetry.