Three Hundred Tang Poems
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Three Hundred Tang Poems (唐詩三百首) is a compilation of poems from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907) made around 1763 by Sun Zhu (孫誅) of the Qing Dynasty. Sun made his selection of Tang poems based on their popularity and effectiveness in cultivating character. Because it represented equally well each of the classical poetic forms and because it represented the best works by the most prominent Tang poets, Sun's collection became a classic soon after its publication. It has been used for centuries since to teach elementary students to read and write, and also in cultivating character. A popular Chinese saying goes: "Learning Three Hundred Tang Poems by heart, you can chant poems though you know not the art." Nearly every Chinese household owns a copy and poems from it are still included in textbooks and to be memorized by students.