Poems with Contested Meanings

This article explores the phenomenon of Song dynasty poems that have contested meanings in early (Song period) sources. Examples in both the shi and ci poetic forms are given. Each highlights a different aspect of poetic meaning as created and re-created through the interplay of author, poetic persona, provenance claim (whether it comes from author, confidant, independent anecdote, or other record), and commentary or interpretive reading. The examples are then shown in their connection to larger, enduring issues in the reading and interpretation of Chinese poetry.