A text of central importance to the Chinese literary tradition, the Wen xuan was compiled by Xiao Tong (501-531) and is the oldest surviving anthology of Chinese literature arranged by genre. This volume, the first of a planned eight-volume translation of the entire work, contains thoroughly annotated translations of the first section of the Wen xuan, the rhapsodies on the metropolises and capitals." Originally published in 1983. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.