Arthur Waley: 19 books

The Real Tripitaka gives an account of the seventh century pilgrim's adventures, spiritual and material, both in India and after his return to China. That legendary journey was fictionalized in the classic Journey to the West, translated in part by Waley. In addition this book contains an account...

Introduction Since the Middle Ages the Chinese have been almost unanimous in regarding Li Po as their greatest poet, and the few who have given the first place to his contemporary Tu Fu have usually accorded the second to Li. One is reluctant to disregard the verdict of a people upon...

First published in 1963. The Secret History (so called merely because it was meant for the Mongols and not for the Chinese,) has been chiefly studied from a learned point of view and its quality as literature and hence its value to the lay reader have been greatly overlooked. The Chinese version has been used, but with constant reference to the Mon

Dream of the Red Chamber, ( Chinese  紅樓夢  / 红楼梦 , Pinyin Hóng Lóu Mèng , literally, The Dream in / by the Red Mansion /  Room ) also called The Story of the Stone, composed by Cao Xueqin, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It was written sometime in the middle...

My office on this occasion is one which I may well carry as lightly as possible. In our society, I am told, one needs an introduction to a beautiful woman; but I have never heard of men needing an introduction to a beautiful song. Prose before poetry is an unmeaning interruption; for poetry is perhaps...