Origins and Explanations of the Poetry Titles and Poems Used by Tong Hua

The title of the novel and many chapter titles came from poetry. Those chapters are listed. The origin of the title can be found on each chapter's page. All relevant pages are tagged Category: Poetry as Titles.

In Book 1
The title of the novel, Chang Xiang Si, is the name of two poems by Li Bai.

After Book 1 Chapter 3, Tong Hua only uses lines from the Classic of Poetry, which is the oldest collection of poems in Chinese history, and Song Dynasty poems.

Eleven chapter titles are from poetry: two from the Nineteen Old Poems collected during the Han Dynasty, four from the Classic of Poetry, and five from Song Dynasty poems.

Nineteen Old Poems, collected in the Han Dynasty:


 * Book 1 Chapter 1


 * Book 1 Chapter 3

Classic of Poetry, oldest collection of poems:


 * Book 1 Chapter 8


 * Book 1 Chapter 12


 * Book 1 Chapter 13


 * Book 1 Chapter 17

Book 1 Chapter 17's poetry title is the continuation of Book 1 Chapter 12's poetry title.

Song Dynasty poems:


 * Book 1 Chapter 4


 * Book 1 Chapter 7


 * Book 1 Chapter 9


 * Book 1 Chapter 14


 * Book 1 Chapter 15

While the chapter titles that use Classic of Poetry describe a range of topics, chapter titles from the Song Dynasty poems all deal with separation and longing.

Book 1 Chapter 15 poetry title foreshadows the Chinese subtitle of Book 2.

In Book 2
The Chinese subtitle of Book 2 is the name of the poem A Recital of a True Heart by Ouyang Xiu.

Unlike Book 1, Book 2's poetry chapter titles come from many periods in Chinese history.


 * Book 2 Chapter 2 - Qing Dynasty


 * Book 2 Chapter 6 - Three Kingdoms Period


 * Book 2 Chapter 8 - Tang Dynasty (Li Bai)
 * Book 2 Chapter 10 - Tang Dynasty
 * Book 2 Chapter 11 - Tang Dynasty
 * Book 2 Chapter 13 - Han Dynasty (Nineteen Old Poems)
 * Book 2 Chapter 14 - Song Dynasty
 * Book 2 Chapter 15 - Jurchen Jin Dynasty, which co-existed with Southern Song
 * Book 2 Chapter 16 - Song Dynasty

In Book 3

 * Book 3 Chapter 1 - Song Dynasty
 * Book 3 Chapter 8 - Tang Dynasty
 * Book 3 Chapter 10 - Song Dynasty
 * Book 3 Chapter 11 - Qing Dynasty