This is a list of the sections and individual pieces contained within the ancient poetry anthology Chu Ci (traditional Chinese: 楚辭; simplified Chinese: 楚辞; pinyin: chǔ cí; Wade–Giles: Ch'u Tz'u), also known as Songs of the South or Songs of Chu, which is an anthology of Classical Chinese poetry verse traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States period, though about half of the poems seem to have been composed several centuries later, during the Han dynasty.
[1] The traditional version of the Chu Ci contains 17 major sections, and was edited by Wang Yi (Chinese: 王逸), a 2nd-century AD librarian who served under Emperor Shun of Han.
[1] The Chu Ci and the Shi Jing together constitute the chief sources of pre-Qin dynasty Chinese verse.
'On Encountering Trouble, or, Encountering Sorrow') is one of the most famous of the works contained in the Chu Ci: it mainly is upon a theme of seemingly autobiographical material about the relationship between Qu Yuan and the leadership of the Chu kingdom.
Although often interpreted as a political allegory, other aspects of this rather long poem seem to refer to religious and mythological themes derived from the culture of the Chu area.
"Jiu Ge" (Chinese: 九歌; pinyin: Jiǔ gē; lit.
English translations of titles follow David Hawkes: "Tian Wen" (Chinese: 天問; pinyin: Tiān wèn; lit.
"Jiu Zhang" (Chinese: 九章; pinyin: Jiǔ zhāng; lit.
"Bu Ju" (Chinese: 卜居; pinyin: Bǔ jū; lit.
"Summons of the Soul" (Chinese: 招魂; pinyin: Zhāo Hún; lit.
"The Great Summons" (Chinese: 大招; pinyin: Dà zhāo; lit.
"Sorrow for Troth Betrayed" (Chinese: 惜誓; pinyin: Xī shì; lit.
Attributed to Wang Bao, who flourished during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han.
Nine pieces, each one including a final "Lament", entitled 'Embittered Thoughts': "Nine Longings" (Chinese: 九思; pinyin: Jiǔ sī; lit.
By Wang Yi, a Han dynasty librarian and compiler and annotator of the Chu Ci.