Song Poetry

Song poetry refers to Classical Chinese poetry of or typical of the Song dynasty of China (960–1279). Many of the best known Classical Chinese poems, popular also in translation, are from the Song dynasty poets, such as Su Shi (Dongpo), Ouyang Xiu, Lu You and Yang Wanli. This was also a time of great achievement in painting and literature, and many artists were accomplished in more than one of these, as well as often being government officials.

The poets of the Song dynasty drew on a long tradition of poetry in China, particularly upon forms prevalent in the Tang dynasty, together with influences from Central Asia.The ci form is especially associated with the Sung dynasty period shows signs of development toward the end of the Tang dynasty and the period of disunity immediately before the Song dynasty, especially as exemplified in the works of Li Yu of the Southern Tang dynasty.