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Gulistan (Saadi)

Nonfiction Prose

The Gulistan, meaning Rose Garden, is a work of prose interspersed with poetry by the Persian poet Saadi of Shiraz, completed in 1258. Written in Classical Persian in the mirror-for-princes tradition, it is organized into eight chapters holding around 595 short poems, most only a couplet or two, framed by brief moral stories that blend practical instruction with Sufi teaching. It is considered perhaps the single most influential work of Persian prose, prized for its psychological insight and minimalist storytelling, and its verse on human interconnectedness is inscribed in the United Nations General Assembly Building in New York.

Facts
Classification
Audience
General 1
Original Language
Persian 2
Composed, From (Year)
from 1258 2
Composed, To (Year)
to 1258 1
FAQs

What themes do the eight chapters of the Gulistan cover?

Kings, dervishes, contentment, silence, love and youth, old age, education and the rules of a good life.

The Gulistan is divided into eight chapters, each given to a theme. Together they take up the morality of kings, the behavior of dervishes, the benefits of contentment, the power of silence, love and youthfulness, the challenges of old age, the impact of education, and the rules for leading a fulfilling life.
Connections

Authored By

Saadi, Authors

In Genre

Poetry, Genres
Source Gulistan (book) (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Original Language

Also in Language Atlas: the original language of this subject.

Originated In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Gulistan of Saadi, Wikipedia
Sources
1. Gulistan of Saadi, Wikipedia
  • Reasons for composition
    Written in 1258 CE, it is one of two major works of the Persian poet Sheikh Saadi Shirazi
  • Lead
    sometimes spelled Golestan, is a landmark of Persian literature, perhaps its single most influential work of prose.
View the Source
2. Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Gulistan (book) (Wikipedia)
In Genre: Poetry, Lead section
Quote, In Genre: Poetry, Lead section
The Gulistan is a collection of poems and stories.
View the Source
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