The Late Poems of Wang An-Shih

Wang An-shih was an eccentric politician from the Sung Dynasty. Known as a diligent political reformer who sought to help the underclasses, Wang An-shih's compassion for the peasant and farmer was only surpassed by his displeasure for court life. After establishing his reforms and securing successors to ensure their success, he retired to the mountains and wrote poems and commentaries on classical Chinese and Buddhist texts, assuming the guise of a sagely hermit. The poems presented in this volume come from the last decade of his life.David Hinton's book includes an excellent Introduction to Wang An-shih and his poems, giving the reader an understanding of his philosophical perspective and his literary style. He also explains his interpretation of texts and choices in translation. Though brief, the Introduction is helpful in understanding Wang An-shih and his works. Hinton also includes several pages of helpful end notes.Most of the poems follow a four line structure attempting to capture a sight, feeling, relationship, or record thoughts surrounding mundane activities of daily life. The poems tend to be emotive but not emotional (the poem "The River" on page 28 is a notable exception) and are often tinged with melancholy. A Ch'an spirit fills the writing as well as Taoist influences. There are frequent references to darkness and shadow, stars and moonlight, clouds and water, that are not only descriptive but express as metaphors Wang An-shih's state of mind. Cosmological associations are important in Wang's An-shih's worldview and psychology. His poems seek to melt the metaphysical categories of Absence and Presence found in Chinese philosophy into an experience of unified mystery that sharpens awareness and the senses.Hinton's translations employ engaging hyphenated and hyphenated-like word associations. This kind of word-play creates symbolic associations in the reader's mind that deepen meaning by defining a particular point of descriptive reference. Some examples would be "sage-masters," "brush-bramble," "flood-dragons," and "Change-Maker." They give the writing a primitive feel, allowing the reader to feel somewhat transported to a different time and way of thinking. For those more inclined to Western literature, I have seen this method used before in Frederick Rebsamen's Beowulf: An Updated Verse Translation (Perennial Classics).From the opening lines of "Beowulf:"Yes, we have heard of years long vanishedHow Spear-Danes struck sang victory-songsraised from a wastelands walls of gloryWhen Scyld Scefing shamed his enemiesmeasured meadhalls and made them his ownsince down by the sea-swirl sent from nowherethe Danes found him floating with giftsCompare with the poem "Meeting an Old Friend at Splendor-Hoard Monastery:"A hundred worries close mind's depths,but with a single laugh they open and stay.Wandering west wind outside city walls,we watch orchards scatter their lit colorsablaze, seeing perception as a dreamWho could bear brimmed wine too? Joyfalters, but we can set out again throughrivers and lakes spread boundlessly away.Or the poem "Above the Yangtze" reflecting Wang's more common four line form:River water churns, breathing west wind.River blossoms scatter late reds. DriftingLonging's grief, flute-song carries throughhaphazard eastern mountains and beyond.I think this book is an excellent presentation of Wang An-shih's poems. Before buying this book, I read Kojiro Yoshikawa's An Introduction to Sung Poetry (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series) to provide background information to Sung Dynasty poetry. I found it an helpful complement to this book.

I wish that stars alone were sufficient so that being as it is here, I can say that the poems are well translated and the era and style of the Bamboo poets is well represented. I love the Tang and early Sung Dynasty Ch'an-Tao poets.

An extraordinary collection. Hinton's translation suggests a profound sensitivity, offering the reader a direct transmission of Wang An-Shih's wisdom. I am grateful to have this volume on my journey.

The other two reviewers nailed it: nothing else to add except you won’t be disappointed by this book. One of my favorites.

I can't comment on the quality of the translation, but the English versions are evocative and well written. A pleasure to read.