In this book we invite you into the immense and alluring world of Chinese love poetry. Hundreds of love poems from almost every era of Chinese history still exist; we have decided to present twenty-five of them to you, complete with fresh translations and line-by-line analysis. Among these twenty-five poems are some of the most beloved poems in Chinese history; others are probably familiar to few people.

Our special interest is in poems that describe the full range of the experience of love, from wooing the beloved, to missing out on a hopeful connection; to the problem of distance and absence in a relationship and, finally, to losing a beloved partner much too early. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!