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abarrera's review
5.0
This is such a unique book. First of all, don't expect rhythmic poetry. Han Shan's poems are more like koans than poems themselves. The reading is fascinating because it gives you great insight into the Taoism and Buddhism culture of China's Tang Dynasty. It also provides a sense of what hermits were all about at the time. This comes through thanks to Red Pine's incredible translation, which adds in-depth commentary and massive references.
If you're into Taoism, early Buddhism and Zen, this is definitely a great book to read.
If you're into Taoism, early Buddhism and Zen, this is definitely a great book to read.
spacestationtrustfund's review
3.0
This review is of the translation by Bill Porter.
Overall I'm quite impressed by Bill Porter (alias Red Pine)'s translations. The major benefit of this edition is that it includes the original Chinese text alongside the English translations; also included are extensive notes and a robust introduction. Apart from the 307 poems Porter attributes to the Cold Mountain poet, 4 poems by Fenggan (丰干) and 49 by Shide (拾得) have been translated and included. Porter's translations occasionally stray away from accuracy, although these deviations from the original are almost always marked in the footnotes, along with the "correct" translation of the word or phrase in question. The formatting can also take a while to get accustomed to, since Porter doesn't tend to use much of any punctuation in his translations outside of what was already present in the original poems (i.e., a singular comma per line, and possibly a full stop at the end). Perhaps most damningly, Porter uses the Wade-Giles romanisation system, but I'll forgive for that, seeing as his translation was originally published in 1983. (I'd recommend reading the slightly updated 2000 edition myself.)
Here's Porter's translation of one poem (诗4):
The original text:
There are a couple of interesting details with these translations. The phrase 黃老 refers to Huang-Lao, the most influential Chinese school of thought during the Han dynasty (early 2nd century BCE); the name itself is a portmanteau of the Yellow Emperor (黃帝) and Laozi (老子). All of the above translations are technically correct: "Taoist texts"; "the Yellow Emperor and Laozi"; "Daoist texts"; "Huang and Lao"... I personally prefer Henricks's translation of the phrase, partially because of the footnote and partially because "Huang-Lao" is the name by which that particular school of thought is known in the anglosphere.
The second interesting detail is the colour of the man's hair. The original text very clearly says 白 (white), right? Well... sort of; the phrase is 斑白 (lit. spotted/striped white), a formal way to say "grizzled" or "greying." Only Rouzer misidentifies the colour: "grey-haired"; "greying hair"; "white-haired"; "greying hair"... I suppose Rouzer simply ignored an entire character (斑) for reasons unknown. For this specific detail I prefer Tanahashi's and Levitt's translation, partially for the (correctly) gender-neutral translation of 人 (person) and partially because it just sounds best to me.
The third interesting detail is the sound quality. No, really; this is the fourth line: 近聽聲逾好 (close-hear-sound-exceed-good). Mostly the translations of this line are accurate: "come closer the sound gets better"; "Listen closely, the sound is really good"; "The closer you come, the better it sounds"; "The closer you get the better it sounds"... I'm fascinated by the gap between Tanahashi's and Levitt's ("listen closely, the sound is really good") and Henricks's ("the closer you get the better it sounds"). Personally I think this line is intending to say that, if you listen closely, you'll hear the sound even better; it sounds simple but it's in line with the rest of the poem's message. Therefore I'd have to tip my hat to Tanahashi and Levitt, whose translation is the closest.
I actually don't have a preferred complete translation of this particular poem. None of the translations I've read have satisfactorily translated the sixth line 喃喃讀黃老 (mumble-mumble-read-Huang-Lao), for example. None of the translations I've read seem to pick up on the fact that the final character 道 (dao) has multiple meanings, as does the final line 忘却來時道 (forget-come-time-dao), connected to the overall message that, in essence, this person has spent so much time trying to figure out the "way" that they've forgotten how to find it. Hence: pay attention and listen closely, and you'll hear the light breeze in the pines. Hence: relax, or you'll spend ten years trying to find something that's right in front of you. Whichever poet wrote this one was really a fan of Cold Mountain.
Overall I'm quite impressed by Bill Porter (alias Red Pine)'s translations. The major benefit of this edition is that it includes the original Chinese text alongside the English translations; also included are extensive notes and a robust introduction. Apart from the 307 poems Porter attributes to the Cold Mountain poet, 4 poems by Fenggan (丰干) and 49 by Shide (拾得) have been translated and included. Porter's translations occasionally stray away from accuracy, although these deviations from the original are almost always marked in the footnotes, along with the "correct" translation of the word or phrase in question. The formatting can also take a while to get accustomed to, since Porter doesn't tend to use much of any punctuation in his translations outside of what was already present in the original poems (i.e., a singular comma per line, and possibly a full stop at the end). Perhaps most damningly, Porter uses the Wade-Giles romanisation system, but I'll forgive for that, seeing as his translation was originally published in 1983. (I'd recommend reading the slightly updated 2000 edition myself.)
Here's Porter's translation of one poem (诗4):
Looking for a refuge(Porter footnotes: "The recitation of sacred writings, such as Lao-tzu's Taoteching, and the chanting of incantations are among the techniques used by Taoists in their quest to transcend this mortal state.")
Cold Mountain will keep you safe
a faint wind stirs dark pines
come closer the sound gets better
below them sits a grey-haired man
chanting Taoist texts
ten years unable to return
he forgot the way he came
The original text:
欲得安身處，寒山可長保。Compare Porter's translation against Kazuaki Tanahashi's and Peter Levitt's (诗4):
微風吹幽松，近聽聲逾好。
下有斑白人，喃喃讀黃老。
十年歸不得，忘却來時道。
If you want to attain a peaceful life,Paul Rouzer's (诗20):
settle down at Cold Mountain.
Subtle breezes blow through mysterious pine.
Listen closely, the sound is really good.
Beneath it, someone with greying hair
reads the Yellow Emperor and Laozi without ceasing.
After ten years, I can never return—
I've even forgotten the way I came.
If you want to find a resting place,Robert G. Henricks's (诗20):
Cold Mountain will keep you long.
A gentle breeze blows the hidden pines:
The closer you come, the better it sounds.
Below them sits a white-haired man
Who’s mumbling out Daoist texts.
He’s not gone home for ten years now,
For he’s forgotten how he came.
If you wish to find a place where you can rest,(Henricks footnotes: "The books of Huang-ti (the Yellow Emperor) and Lao-tzu—i.e., texts dealing with Taoist practices of long life.")
Han-shan for long can keep you secure.
A slight breeze blows through secluded pines;
The closer you get the better it sounds.
Underneath is a man with greying hair;
Mumble mumble—he reads Huang and Lao.
Ten years he's been unable to return;
He's forgotten the road he used when he came.
There are a couple of interesting details with these translations. The phrase 黃老 refers to Huang-Lao, the most influential Chinese school of thought during the Han dynasty (early 2nd century BCE); the name itself is a portmanteau of the Yellow Emperor (黃帝) and Laozi (老子). All of the above translations are technically correct: "Taoist texts"; "the Yellow Emperor and Laozi"; "Daoist texts"; "Huang and Lao"... I personally prefer Henricks's translation of the phrase, partially because of the footnote and partially because "Huang-Lao" is the name by which that particular school of thought is known in the anglosphere.
The second interesting detail is the colour of the man's hair. The original text very clearly says 白 (white), right? Well... sort of; the phrase is 斑白 (lit. spotted/striped white), a formal way to say "grizzled" or "greying." Only Rouzer misidentifies the colour: "grey-haired"; "greying hair"; "white-haired"; "greying hair"... I suppose Rouzer simply ignored an entire character (斑) for reasons unknown. For this specific detail I prefer Tanahashi's and Levitt's translation, partially for the (correctly) gender-neutral translation of 人 (person) and partially because it just sounds best to me.
The third interesting detail is the sound quality. No, really; this is the fourth line: 近聽聲逾好 (close-hear-sound-exceed-good). Mostly the translations of this line are accurate: "come closer the sound gets better"; "Listen closely, the sound is really good"; "The closer you come, the better it sounds"; "The closer you get the better it sounds"... I'm fascinated by the gap between Tanahashi's and Levitt's ("listen closely, the sound is really good") and Henricks's ("the closer you get the better it sounds"). Personally I think this line is intending to say that, if you listen closely, you'll hear the sound even better; it sounds simple but it's in line with the rest of the poem's message. Therefore I'd have to tip my hat to Tanahashi and Levitt, whose translation is the closest.
I actually don't have a preferred complete translation of this particular poem. None of the translations I've read have satisfactorily translated the sixth line 喃喃讀黃老 (mumble-mumble-read-Huang-Lao), for example. None of the translations I've read seem to pick up on the fact that the final character 道 (dao) has multiple meanings, as does the final line 忘却來時道 (forget-come-time-dao), connected to the overall message that, in essence, this person has spent so much time trying to figure out the "way" that they've forgotten how to find it. Hence: pay attention and listen closely, and you'll hear the light breeze in the pines. Hence: relax, or you'll spend ten years trying to find something that's right in front of you. Whichever poet wrote this one was really a fan of Cold Mountain.
shinymensch's review
3.0
There was way too much in-depth Buddhism in some of the poetry for me. It is not something I would just pick up for fun reading that is for sure.
stevenf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Red Pine and Gary Snyder's are superb.
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