Scan barcode
michellethebookcritic's review against another edition
2.0
Ughhh, I wanna finish this book so bad-
I keep wasting the time tho.
I keep wasting the time tho.
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
3.0
Born some 1300-odd years ago, Li Bai (transliterated in this instance as Li Po) is one of the most celebrated Chinese poets and my favorite of those I've read. So I am very grateful to have this translated selection of his poems. Yet it disappointed me in several ways.
Firstly, even though I don't read Chinese, I missed seeing the Chinese originals alongside the translations. Perhaps I've been spoiled by some of the other translations of Chinese poetry that I've read of late.
Secondly, there are helpful notes for approximately a quarter of the poems, but I would have appreciated accompanying notes for every one of the poems. Across a space of 1300 years, and a considerable cultural and linguistic gap, notes can provide valuable context. (Again, I may have been spoiled by other translations of Chinese poems.) In addition, the notes are parceled away at the back of the book, which resulted in my flicking back and forth.
Lastly but most importantly, I didn't especially warm to David Hinton's translations. Not knowing Chinese, I can't speak to their accuracy. But as poetry, they move me less than they might. This is clearly subjective and other readers may disagree. I still liked many of Hinton's versions, it's just that I liked them *less* than other ones I've read. Here, for example, is Hinton's translation of one of the most famous of all classical Chinese poems.
A fine poem, effective despite its brevity, but I prefer Keith Holyoak's rendition from [b:Facing the Moon: Poems of Li Bai and Du Fu|24817380|Facing the Moon Poems of Li Bai and Du Fu|Li Bai|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436099101l/24817380._SY75_.jpg|2297868].
And I also prefer Red Pine's translation from [b:Poems of the Masters: China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse|818979|Poems of the Masters China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse|Red Pine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388268454l/818979._SY75_.jpg|804838].
On the plus side, I prefer Hinton's version to the one rhymed version that I've read! It isn't that there's a vast gap between the three versions above, it's just that, for me, the Hinton one is flatter, less moving.
To balance the above gripes, I do -- very much -- appreciate having this selection available in English, and I enjoyed it. Recommended with reservations.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Firstly, even though I don't read Chinese, I missed seeing the Chinese originals alongside the translations. Perhaps I've been spoiled by some of the other translations of Chinese poetry that I've read of late.
Secondly, there are helpful notes for approximately a quarter of the poems, but I would have appreciated accompanying notes for every one of the poems. Across a space of 1300 years, and a considerable cultural and linguistic gap, notes can provide valuable context. (Again, I may have been spoiled by other translations of Chinese poems.) In addition, the notes are parceled away at the back of the book, which resulted in my flicking back and forth.
Lastly but most importantly, I didn't especially warm to David Hinton's translations. Not knowing Chinese, I can't speak to their accuracy. But as poetry, they move me less than they might. This is clearly subjective and other readers may disagree. I still liked many of Hinton's versions, it's just that I liked them *less* than other ones I've read. Here, for example, is Hinton's translation of one of the most famous of all classical Chinese poems.
Thoughts in Night Quiet
Seeing moonlight here at my bed,
and thinking it's frost on the ground,
I look up, gaze at the mountain moon,
then back, dreaming of my old home.
A fine poem, effective despite its brevity, but I prefer Keith Holyoak's rendition from [b:Facing the Moon: Poems of Li Bai and Du Fu|24817380|Facing the Moon Poems of Li Bai and Du Fu|Li Bai|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436099101l/24817380._SY75_.jpg|2297868].
Quiet Night Thoughts
In front of my bed
moonlight is shining down --
I thought it was frost
shimmering on the ground.
Lifting my head
I watch the bright moon;
lowering my head
I miss my northern home.
And I also prefer Red Pine's translation from [b:Poems of the Masters: China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse|818979|Poems of the Masters China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse|Red Pine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388268454l/818979._SY75_.jpg|804838].
Thoughts on a Quiet Night
Before my bed the light is so bright
it looks like a layer of frost
lifting my head I gaze at the moon
lying back down I think of home.
On the plus side, I prefer Hinton's version to the one rhymed version that I've read! It isn't that there's a vast gap between the three versions above, it's just that, for me, the Hinton one is flatter, less moving.
To balance the above gripes, I do -- very much -- appreciate having this selection available in English, and I enjoyed it. Recommended with reservations.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
butt_chugga2001's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
book_bound_weirdo's review against another edition
2.0
Man, Li Po was such a drunk lol...but he did it in nature so it's not a problem.
spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition
2.0
Li Bai (李白) didn't actually drown in the Yangtze while drunkenly attempting to embrace the reflection of the moon in the water, but it's a hell of an image. This review is of David Hinton's translation; Li Bai's poetry itself would get five stars.
As an example of Hinton's translation, here's his rendition of the poem《聽蜀僧濬彈琴》("Listening to a Monk's Ch'in Depths," as he calls it):
There are a couple of fairly obvious mistakes in Hinton's translation—he omits entirely the reference to the specific style of qin played by the monk, instead translating literally that the instrument is "cased in green silk"; the final line of the poem is a question, but Hinton turns it into a statement; he removes the reference to the monk's origin (i.e., Sichuan), only leaving "O-mei Mountain" (Wade-Giles for Mount Emei) as a clue as to the location. The overall structure of the poem is decent enough, but there are enough minor errors to add up to an overall misinterpretation. This style is consistent in Hinton's translations throughout.
[1] Sichuan Province.
[2] Literally silk material or damask; in literary terms, 綠綺 referred to, by extension, a particular 古琴 guqin used by the Western Han musician-poet Sima Xiangru (司馬相如) to court the poet Zhuo Wenjun (卓文君), or any qin styled after the original.
[3] 峨眉山 Mount Emei; here 峨眉峰 (the summit of Emei); a mountain in Sichuan Province.
[4] Together these two characters mean "beckon"; here it can be inferred to refer to the motion of plucking a qin.
[5] Sometimes the character 濬 is translated as "deep, depth" (i.e., profound, bassy, etc.) and sometimes as a name, Jun, presumably the monk's own.
[6] 古琴 (guqin) Chinese zither; the character 琴 resembles a seated musician playing the instrument.
As an example of Hinton's translation, here's his rendition of the poem《聽蜀僧濬彈琴》("Listening to a Monk's Ch'in Depths," as he calls it):
Carrying a ch'in cased in green silk, a monkAnd in the original language:
descended from O-mei Mountain in the west.
When he plays, even in a few first notes,
I hear the pines of ten thousand valleys,
and streams rinse my wanderer's heart clean.
Echoes linger among temple frost-fall bells,
night coming unnoticed in emerald mountains,
autumn clouds banked up, gone dark and deep.
蜀僧抱綠綺，西下峨眉峰；A character-by-character version (translation mine):
為我一揮手，如聽萬壑松。
客心洗流水，餘響入霜鐘。
不覺碧山暮，秋雲暗幾重？
Shu[1] / monk / hold / green / silk[2]The title of the poem, by character, translates to:
west / descend / E- / -mei[3] / peak
for / me / one / wave / hand[4]
like / listen / ten thousand / mountain valley / pine
traveler / heart / wash / stream / water
lingering / sound / enter / frost / bell
not / notice / blue, green, jade / mountain / dusk
autumn / cloud / dark / [how] many / heavy
listen / Shu / monk / deep[5] / pluck / qin[6]i.e., "listening to a Sichuan monk playing the guqin."
There are a couple of fairly obvious mistakes in Hinton's translation—he omits entirely the reference to the specific style of qin played by the monk, instead translating literally that the instrument is "cased in green silk"; the final line of the poem is a question, but Hinton turns it into a statement; he removes the reference to the monk's origin (i.e., Sichuan), only leaving "O-mei Mountain" (Wade-Giles for Mount Emei) as a clue as to the location. The overall structure of the poem is decent enough, but there are enough minor errors to add up to an overall misinterpretation. This style is consistent in Hinton's translations throughout.
[1] Sichuan Province.
[2] Literally silk material or damask; in literary terms, 綠綺 referred to, by extension, a particular 古琴 guqin used by the Western Han musician-poet Sima Xiangru (司馬相如) to court the poet Zhuo Wenjun (卓文君), or any qin styled after the original.
[3] 峨眉山 Mount Emei; here 峨眉峰 (the summit of Emei); a mountain in Sichuan Province.
[4] Together these two characters mean "beckon"; here it can be inferred to refer to the motion of plucking a qin.
[5] Sometimes the character 濬 is translated as "deep, depth" (i.e., profound, bassy, etc.) and sometimes as a name, Jun, presumably the monk's own.
[6] 古琴 (guqin) Chinese zither; the character 琴 resembles a seated musician playing the instrument.
lauren_endnotes's review against another edition
5.0
Legend says that Li Bai (Li Po) drowned by trying to embrace the reflection of the moon on the water. Since he lived in the 8th century CE, we won't ever know how true this is, but it's a pretty great story, and not necessarily a bad way to go, all things considered
anna_99l's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Very reflective. I presumed that this book would be quite stuffy but a lot of the content talked about was quite different to what I thought would be discussed. For example, I really enjoyed the poems on getting drunk with friends and on Li Po's perspective on war.
krisimir's review against another edition
5.0
So serene and beautiful. I'm really not into my Asian roots but this is some great poetry. It is a little monotone- nature, wine, Taoist stuff. The lack of rhyme and the even meter make it seem so sagey. Glad to have read this book!!!
silkelfheaven's review
5.0
Heartbreakingly beautiful. Such poetry spans time and brings Li Po alive.
eldang's review
4.0
Lovely collection of poems from a time that Britain calls the dark ages because so few written records survived from the other end of Eurasia. Wang Wei was particularly good at capturing small details of scenes - the way a canoe's paddle moves through the water, or subtle changes in a town with the seasons - but he must also have taken great joy in people because another rich seam in this collection is poems of farewell, greeting, and missing people in between.
More...