EIGHTEEN SONGS OF A NOMAD FLUTE - THE STORY OF LADY WEN-CHI 'Poet and composer Cai Yan, more commonly known by her courtesy name "Wenji", was the daughter of a prominent Eastern Han man of letters, Cai Yong. The family resided in Yu Prefecture, Chenliu Commandery, in what is now eastern Henan Province. Cai Wenji was born shortly before 178 CE, and was married at the age of sixteen according to the East Asian age reckoning (corresponding to the age of 15 in Western reckoning) to Wei Zhongdao in 192 CE. Zhongdao died soon after the wedding, without any offspring. 194–195 CE brought Xiongnu nomads into the Chinese capital and Cai Wenji was taken, along with other hostages, to the frontier. During her captivity, she became the wife of the Zuoxianwang ('Leftside Virtuous King' or 'Wise King of the Left'), and bore him two sons. It was not until twelve years later that Cao Cao, the Chancellor of Han, ransomed her in the name of her father, who had already died before her capture. When Cai Wenji returned to her homeland, she left her children behind in the frontier. A number of poems have been written to immortalize Cai Wenji's life story including her own. Liu Shang (c. AD 770), wrote a poem about Cai Wenji called Hujia Shiba Pai (?????; "Eighteen Songs on a Nomad Flute"). Liu Shang's poem accompanied by 18 scenes painted on a handscroll was commissioned by the first emperor of the Emperor Gaozong of Song. Four fragments, presumed to be of the original, are in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, while the earliest complete copy, apparently from the fourteenth century and formerly in the C. C. Wang collection, resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art; these were published by the museum in 1974 in a book entitled Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute.' Use the 'Mouse Over to Zoom / Click to Enlarge' feature for meticulous scrutiny of the condition of the item. Deluxe hardback book, with full outer slip case, and a good selection of inner pages with fold-out sections, expanding the artwork format. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1974, 1st edition. Hardback 10" x 11" format...or 250mm x 275mm format, approx. Ilustrations and text throughout An excellent reading and reference copy. Binding intact, no creases, and only the bare minimum of the usual signs of light reading and storage wear. No pen or ink marks or notations. The full alownace of 12 pictures uploaded, various views, all of the actual item. Interesting item, one for the collectors and enthusiasts... Buy-it-Now, $28.50 Thanks for looking! :o) Postage USA - Free postage.