A Book of Chinese Verse

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION by AR . Davi s THIS anthology was not compile d wit h th e objec t o f illustratin g th e history o f poetr y i n China . Th e tw o translator s worke d togethe r over a numbe r o f years , translatin g a t thei r wil l unti l th e page s grew. I n the en d the y produced a selection o f Chinese verse, ranging mor e widel y tha n mos t whic h hav e ye t appeared , ove r th e whole period o f verse-writing in China, a period of more than 2,500 years. The y translate d wha t please d the m an d wha t seeme d t o g o well into English, without to o much regard to native Chinese views of poetic stature. To preface thei r selection with a historical account of Chines e poetr y an d poet s i n a strictl y chronologica l manne r would probabl y no t introduc e th e reade r ver y successfull y t o th e translations, an d th e translation s i n thei r tur n woul d no t wholl y illustrate th e historica l account . I n an y cas e n o Wester n schola r o f Chinese ha s a s ye t th e resource s t o writ e a n adequat e historica l account o f Chines e verse , no r doe s th e evidenc e sugges t tha t an y very complete study is likely to come at present from Chin a itself. It would see m better , then , t o tr y to describ e som e o f the particula r characteristics o f Chinese verse, the context in which they have arisen , Chines e view s o f poetry , pas t an d present , an d als o curren t attitudes to the immense heritage from forme r times . Since the approach o f Western students of Chinese, literature has inevitably been strongl y influenced b y the direction taken by native scholars, a preliminary loo k at the situatio n o f literature an d learn ing i n twentieth-centur y Chin a will be relevant . The past fifty year s have witnesse d a grea t revolutio n i n educatio n an d literature , which, like her political revolution, has owed much to the impact of the West. I f we ignor e al l political considerations , we ma y see as a very powerfu l motiv e fo r thi s revolution , th e recognitio n o f th e need o f a moder n societ y fo r a broadly base d literac y an d educa tion . Unti l the present centur y literature, at any rate recognized lit erature , had been very much the province of the few, and had bee n written i n a highl y artificia l language , remot e fro m th e usage s o f current speech . Traditiona l Chines e writing i n the artificia l literar y language was indee d boun d t o come t o a n end with th e fall o f th e type o f societ y whic h sustaine d it . Th e endin g di d no t essentiall y require th e violen t attack s whic h th e literar y reformer s launche d upon i t - understandabl e a s thos e attack s wer e i n th e immediat e revolutionary situation . Their vehement politica l attitudes to the litINTRODUCTION by AR. Davis THIS anthology was not compiled with the object of illustrating the history of poetry in China. The two translators worked together over a number of years, translating at their will until the pages grew. In the end they produced a selection of Chinese verse, ranging more widely than most which have yet appeared, over the whole period of verse-writing in China, a period of more than 2,500 years. They translated what pleased them and what seemed to go well into English, without too much regard to native Chinese views of poetic stature. To preface their selection with a historical account of Chinese poetry and poets in a strictly chronological manner would probably not introduce the reader...