As early as the late 19th century, George Carter Stent introduced the translations and adaptations of Beijing ballads and songs to the English world. His two collections, The Jade Chaplet and Entombed Alive, reaped ballads and songs from folk music and librettos about folk tales, local landscapes, and artifacts popular in Beijing in the 19th century. The ballads and songs in Entombed Alive are typically based on their Beijing origins and could thus be used as significant resources for the study of Beijing history, culture, and folk customs. The two collections by Stent drew much attention from the English world in the 19th century, resulting from the folk customs conveyed by the collections, Stent’s position as a famous sinologist, his rhymed translation skills, and the way of publication. However, these two collections were forgotten in the 20th century. This change may be concerned with the selection and compilation of ballads and songs and the design of content. It reveals that there should be a comprehensive consideration of the translation purpose, target readers, the selection and compilation of materials, the translator's positioning, and the way of publication to promote the circulation of prestigious Chinese popular literature and folk customs in the English world.