In a fresh contribution to China’s growing canon of accessible literary scholarship, Zhejiang Educational Publishing House recently released two new titles by author Sima Yimin: Encountering the Bold School of Song Ci and Encountering the Graceful School of Song Ci. These works mark the third and fourth installments in the publisher’s acclaimed “Encountering” series, following earlier successes with Encountering the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties and Encountering the Four Literary Pioneers of Early Tang.

Maintaining the same structural approach and stylistic consistency as its predecessors, this latest pair continues Sima’s signature method: grounded strictly in primary texts, eschewing dramatization, fictional embellishment, or speculative interpretation. Written in clear, engaging prose, the books are designed for what the author calls “joyful reading” - an effortless yet intellectually rewarding experience that invites readers to explore classical Chinese poetry without academic barriers.

Sima Yimin, a specially appointed researcher at Hangzhou Institute of Historical and Cultural Studies and a leading scholar of Song-dynasty aesthetics and Wu-Yue regional culture, has long focused on making China’s rich literary heritage accessible to contemporary audiences. Known for his rigorous research methodology - every claim meticulously sourced from verified records - he also excels at narrative storytelling, transforming scholarly insights into compelling, reader-friendly narratives. His prolific output includes such widely read titles as Hangzhou in Poetry, The Song Spirit of Hangzhou in Verses, Bai Juyi: A Promise to Speak of Hangzhou With You, Su Dongpo: I Must Have Lived in Hangzhou in a Past Life, along with the earlier volumes in the “Encountering” series.