A collection of 14 articles on the literature and culture of the ancient Chinese court. The articles were previously published in various journals and reviews between 1972 and 1997. Coverage includes the role of literature in the Han dynasty court; the work of Yang Xiong, a court poet of the late Western Han; themes and problems in fu studies; and ancient Chinese food and drink culture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)