Qu Yuan 屈原(d. 278 BC) was a high minister at the Warring States time court of the king of Chu 楚, proposing him reforms in government and an alliance with other states to encounter the power of the neighboring state of Qin 秦. When the king did not follow his advises and was taken a prisoner by Qin, Qu Yuan wrote "Sorrow after department" Li Sao 離騷, a kind of autobiography. The disappointed poet drowned himself in the Dongting lake after the king of Chu died in his prison far from home. People offered rice balls to his soul, and during the mid autumn moon festival, rice balls (zongzi 粽子) are still a popular meal. Other poems that are ascribed to Qu Yuan are the Nine Songs (Jiu Ge 九歌), the Nine Elegies (Jiu Zhang 九章), "Asking Heaven" (Wen Tian 問天) and some more. The particular style of this poetry gave it the name "Poetry of Chu (the most southern state of that period)" Chu Ci 楚辭. It is different from the northern poetry styles both in verse (the verse divider xi 兮, a particle expressing sighing) and in content. The northern literature is much more plain of feelings, while the poems in the southern state of Chu are full of sentiment and even mystical visions. Qu Yuan is guided on his horse chart to a heaven far from the human world. His evokings of the Goddess of the river is an example of shamanism widespread in the southern religion. Southern poetry later became very popular among Taoists that also saw man as a mere small being the cosm and nature.	Chapters of the Chuci 1. 離騷 Lisao 2.九歌 Jiuge --東皇太一 Donghuang Taiyi --雲中君 Yunzhong Jun --湘君 Xiang Jun --湘夫人 Xiang Furen --大司命 Dasi ming --少司命 Shaosi ming --東君 Dongjun --河伯 He Bo --山鬼 Shangui --國殤 Guoshang --禮魂 Shenhun 3.天問 Tianwen 4.九章 Jiuzhang --惜誦 Xisong --涉江 Shejiang --哀郢 Aicheng --抽思 Chousi --懷沙 Huaisha --思美人 Si furen --惜往日 Xi wang ri --橘頌 Jusong --悲回風 Beihui feng 5.遠遊 Yuanyou 6.卜居 Buju 7.漁父 Yufu 8.九辯 Jiubian （by Song Yu 宋玉） 9.招魂 Zhaohun 10.大招 Dazhao (later) 11.惜誓 Xishi （by Jia Yi 賈誼） 12.招隱 Zhaoyin （淮南小山） 13.七諫 Qijian （by Dongfang Shuo 東方朔） --初放 Chufang --沈江 Shenjiang --怨世 Yuanshi --怨思 Yuansi --自悲 Zibei --哀命 Aiming --謬諫 Miujian 14.哀時命 Aishi ming （by Zhuang Ji 莊忌） 15. 九懷 Jiuhuai （by Wag Bao 王褒） --匡機 Kuangji --通路 Tonglu --危俊 Weijun --昭世 Zhaoshi --尊嘉 Zunjia --蓄英 Chuying --思忠 Sizhong --陶壅 Taoyong --株昭 Zhuzhao 16. 九歎 Jiutan （by Liu Xiang 劉向） --逢紛 Fengfen --離世 Lishi --怨思 Yuansi --遠逝 Yuanshi --惜賢 Xixian --憂苦 Youku --愍命 Minming --思古 Sigu --遠遊 Yuanyou 17.九思 Jiusi （by Wang Yi 王逸) --逢尤 Fengyou --怨上 Yuanshang --疾世 Jishi --憫上 Minshang --遭厄 Cao'e --悼亂 Daoluan --傷時 Shangshi --哀歲 Aisui --守志 Shouzhi
	Exemplarious translation: ＜湘夫人＞ 帝子降兮 北渚， 目眇眇兮 愁予． 嫋嫋兮 秋風， 洞庭波兮 木葉下． 白薠兮 騁望， 與佳期兮 夕張． 鳥萃兮 蘋中， 罾何為兮 木上． 沅有兮 醴有蘭，思公子兮 未敢言． 荒忽兮 遠望， 觀流水兮 潺湲． 麋何食兮 庭中？ 蛟何為兮 水裔？ 朝馳余馬兮 江皋， 夕濟兮 西澨． 聞佳人兮 召予， 將騰駕兮 偕逝． 築室兮 水中， 葺之兮 荷蓋． 蓀壁兮 紫壇， 播芳椒兮 成堂． 桂棟兮 蘭橑， 辛夷楣兮 葯房． 罔薜荔兮 為帷， 擗蕙櫋兮 既張． 白玉兮 為鎮， 疏石蘭兮 為芳． 芷葺兮 荷屋， 繚之兮 杜衡． 合百草兮 實庭， 建芳馨兮 廡門． 九嶷繽兮 並迎， 靈之來兮 如雲． 捐余袂兮 江中， 遺余褋兮 醴浦． 搴汀洲兮 杜若， 將以遺兮 遠者． 時不可兮 驟得， 聊逍遙兮 容與． The Lady of the River Xiang Descend on northern isle, oh! my lady dear, but I am grieved, oh! to see not clear. The autumn breeze, oh! ceaselessly grieves the Dongting waves, oh! with fallen leaves. I gaze afar, oh! 'mid clovers white and wait for our tryst, oh! in the twilight. Among the reeds, oh! can birds be free? What can a net do, oh! atop a tree? White clover grows, oh! beside the creek; I long for you, oh! but dare not speak. I gaze afar, oh! my beloved one, I only see, oh! rippling water run. Could deer find food, oh! within the door? What would a dragon do, oh! upon the shore? At dawn by the riverside, oh! I urge my steed; across the western stream, oh! at dusk I speed. For you bid me, oh! to come today; together we are, oh! to ride away. A midstream palace, oh! shall soon be made; over its roof, oh! lotus weave a shade. In purple court, oh! thyme decks the wall; with fragrant pepper, oh! is spread the hall. Pillars of cassia, oh! stand upright, and rooms smell sweet, oh! with clover white. We weave the ivy, oh! into a screen and spread the ground, oh! with its leaves green. The corner stones, oh! shall be white jade, and fragrance of orchids, oh! shall never fade. On lotus roof, oh! let vetch be found and azaleas, oh! are fresh around. The courtyard if filled, oh! with herbs so fair; the corridor, oh! with perfume rare. All gods will come, oh! from mountains high like rainbow clouds, oh! o'erspreading the sky. I throw when I wake, oh! from my sweet dream, my shirt with sleeves, oh! into the stream. I pluck sweet flowers, oh! upon the bay; I'd give to strangers, oh! far, far away. For time once lost, oh! can't be found again; from thinking of you, oh! I would refrain. Translated by Xu Yuanchong.