Dragonfly song: Did you mean...?

The Jurchen Jin dynasty (meaning “Golden”) ruled parts of China, Mongolia, and northern Korea from 1115 to 1234 CE. The Jurchen originated from Manchuria, but in conquering the neighbouring Liao empire of the Khitan and parts of Song China...

A map indicating the territory of the Northern Song Dynasty of China, 960-1125 CE.

A map indicating the territory of the Southern Song Dynasty, 1125-1279 CE and the Jurchen Jin state (1115-1234 CE).

The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled China from 1271 to 1368 CE. Their first emperor was Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1279 CE) who finally defeated the Song Dynasty which had reigned in China since 960 CE. Stability and peace...

Song Dynasty women inspecting a bolt of silk. 12th century CE. Painted on silk. (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA)

This 18th-Dynasty papyrus contains a collection of literary texts. On the recto is a series of love songs, comprising a first cycle (1.1-4.1), a second cycle (4.1-6.2) followed by the Harpist's Song from the mansion of Intef (6.2-7.3), a...

A c. 1876 oil on canvas with gouache and pastel variations, The Song of the Dog (aka The Café Concert), by Edgar Degas (1834-1917), the French impressionist painter. Degas was keen, as here, to capture the extravagant clothes, makeup, and...

A poster showing the various gifts mentioned in the traditional song 12 Days of Christmas.

Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), China. Wooden, painted and gilded. Exhibited at Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland.

The Seikilos Stele contains the the oldest complete song and dates to c.100 BCE. This video explores how the stele was found and how the song sounds; it is sung at 2:28 As long as you live, shine forth do not at all grieve, Life exists...