THE BOOK OF POETRY

James Legge was a Scottish missionary who spent many years in China and became proficient in the Chinese language. He is well-known for his translations of classical Chinese texts into English including the Analects of Confucius the Tao Te Ching and various other Chinese classics. In regards to The Book of Poetry Legge also made a notable English translation of this ancient Chinese poetry collection. The Classic of Poetry is one of the oldest Chinese literary works consisting of 305 poems that date back to the Western Zhou dynasty (around 1046–771 BCE) and earlier. The poems cover a wide range of themes such as love nature politics and daily life providing valuable insights into the social cultural and emotional aspects of ancient Chinese society. Legges translation of The Book of Poetry has been influential in introducing this essential Chinese literary masterpiece to the English-speaking world and has contributed to its appreciation and understanding in the West.