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«Chu Ci» (Chu Songs) is the first collection of romantic poetry in China and a unique poetic genre of the Chu state during the Warring States period, which laid the foundation for the parallel development of realism and romanticism in ancient Chinese poetry. Seventeen works have survived to this day. The collection is based on the works of Qu Yuan, in which the genre features and spiritual essence of Chu songs are concentrated. Qu Yuan was born in Danyang, Zigui, Chu state (modern Yichang, Hubei Province). He is a great patriotic poet in Chinese history and the founder of Chinese romantic literature. The appearance of Qu Yuan’s works marked the entry of Chinese poetry into a new era — the transition from court odes «Da Ya» to romantic individual creativity. The Hubei Provincial Library possesses a phototype edition from the woodblock print by Lin Yunan of the 28th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1600), printed in two colors (red and black ink). This edition is included in the «Catalogue of Precious Ancient Books of National Significance.» It is distinguished by high-quality engraving and a clear separation of red and black colors, preserves classical commentaries and the typographic style of the Ming era, and possesses the highest artistic value of woodblock printing and value for textual verification.