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Loading... Li Po and Tu Fu: Poems Selected and Translated with an Introduction and Notes (Penguin Classics) (edition 1973)by Arthur Cooper (Editor)
Work InformationLi Po and Tu Fu: Poems Selected and Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Arthur Cooper (Editor)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. This collection of translated poetry begins with a long introduction, which provides context on Li Po, Tu Fu, and Chinese poetry as a whole. I really appreciated this because of my lack of knowledge in any of these areas. The poems themselves were enjoyable to read, and each piece was accompanied by extensive notes that provided additional context & information. Overall, this was a very good collection. ( ) This was a great, small little collection of poems by the famed masters Li Po and Tu Fu. The notes were especially appreciated and the content was simple and flowing. Although there was not much complexity in the poetic structure that these two poets wrote, there is still much to be liked. All in all, a good collection. 3.5 stars. “Great men have a curious way of appearing in complementary pairs” – Kenneth Clark. Li Po, perhaps better known as Li Bai, and Tu Fu, whose name is better Romanized as Du Fu, were two great poets of the Tang Dynasty in 8th century China. Li Po was a rebel against conformity, a wanderer fond of wine and of spontaneous revelry in the moonlight. There is both an imagination and a loneliness to his work. Tu Fu was a traditionalist but also an innovator; his poetry has both the honesty and the subtlety often found in great art. Tu Fu was clearly the “yang” to Li Po’s “yin”; Tu Fu the Confucian and Li Po theTaoist. The two met and respected one another, and in fact Tu Fu idolized the older poet. One has to read the poems slowly and without distraction to be rewarded. Chinese is not a flowery language to begin with and I believe there is a bit lost in translation. Furthermore the translations in this edition are a bit dated and I’ve seen better in a collection from Whincup, which I’ll review later. However, the overall ‘feel’ of this book is very nice – informative introduction, nice notes on the poems, and occasionally poems printed in both English and Chinese. It’s a great introduction to two great poets. I extract three poems that resonated with me when I first read them long ago, and which still do as I read them today. Quiet Night Thoughts (Li Po) ------------------------------------- Before my bed there is bright moonlight So that is seems like frost on the ground: Lifting my head I watch the bright moon, Lowering my head, I dream that I’m home. Longing (Li Po) ------------------- Sunlight begins to fade, mist fills the flowers, The moon as white as silk weeps and cannot sleep, Chao zither’s Phoenix frets no more shall I touch, Shu lute’s Mandarin Duck strings I’ll sound instead: This song has a meaning that no one can tell, It follows the Spring wind as far as Yen-jan To you far, far away beyond the blue sky – Whom once I gave A sideways glance With eyes that now Are wells of tears – If you do not believe that my heart breaks, Come back and look with me into this glass! Nine Thoughts Afloat (Tu Fu) -------------------------------------- By bent grasses in a gentle wind Under straight mast I’m alone tonight, And the stars hang above the broad plain But moon’s afloat in this Great River: Oh, where’s my name among the poet’s? Official rank? ‘Retired for ill-health.’ Drifting, drifting, what am I more than A single gull Between sky and earth? no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesPenguin Classics (L272) Notable Lists
Li Po (AD 701-62) and Tu Fu (AD 712-70) were devoted friends who are traditionally considered to be among China's greatest poets. Li Po, a legendary carouser, was an itinerant poet whose writing, often dream poems or spirit-journeys, soars to sublime heights in its descriptions of natural scenes and powerful emotions. His sheer escapism and joy is balanced by Tu Fu, who expresses the Confucian virtues of humanity and humility in more autobiographical works that are imbued with great compassion and earthy reality, and shot through with humour. Together these two poets of the T'ang dynasty complement each other so well that they often came to be spoken of as one - 'Li-Tu' - who covers the whole spectrum of human life, experience and feeling. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)895.11308Literature Literature of other languages Asian (east and south east) languages Chinese Chinese poetry Tang and Five dynasties 618-960LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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