Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16

Thread: Which One Do You Like Most Among Chinese Classical Poets

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    8

    Which One Do You Like Most Among Chinese Classical Poets

    Hi all!
    I am a fan of chinese classical literature, especially of it's poems. And my favorite poet is Tu Fu, for his perfect technique and greatful concern about his people. I am curious about how do you think of chinese classical poems, Which poet do youl like most, for what?

  2. #2
    Perhaps an island.... Moira's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    617
    I'm not familiar with any of them.
    How about posting some poems?

  3. #3
    Night Closet Night Closet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    EGYPT , CAIRO
    Posts
    36
    Quote Originally Posted by worldwalker View Post
    Hi all!
    I am a fan of chinese classical literature, especially of it's poems. And my favorite poet is Tu Fu, for his perfect technique and greatful concern about his people. I am curious about how do you think of chinese classical poems, Which poet do youl like most, for what?

    i really don't know anything about it ,but how about publishing some of them.....let us love it like you..........lol
    Virtue itslef turns vice, being misapplied;
    And vice sometime's by action dignified.

    Romeo And Juliet, W.Shakespeare


    When i'll be ;
    When my end will be

  4. #4
    Registered User Expecto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Shanghai, China
    Posts
    4
    To best comprehend the quintessence of Chinese classical literature, esp. poetry, you'd better learn Chinese. It's tough, I know, but of great fun.

  5. #5
    Perhaps an island.... Moira's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    617

    Unhappy

    Quote Originally Posted by Expecto View Post
    To best comprehend the quintessence of Chinese classical literature, esp. poetry, you'd better learn Chinese. It's tough, I know, but of great fun.
    Hmm ..... at this point i think i will never be able to speak the language. I' ve tried a few lessons and the pronunciation seems impossible to me, not to mention the ideograms/characters.
    So i don't know about the fun part, that comes after a long long time.

  6. #6
    Registered User Expecto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Shanghai, China
    Posts
    4
    Quote Originally Posted by Moira View Post
    Hmm ..... at this point i think i will never be able to speak the language. I' ve tried a few lessons and the pronunciation seems impossible to me, not to mention the ideograms/characters.
    So i don't know about the fun part, that comes after a long long time.
    Impossible is nothing! lol... Interest can be the biggest motivation when learning sth. really difficult, right? Gain passion over the language and have fun learning it!

  7. #7
    Perhaps an island.... Moira's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    617
    Quote Originally Posted by Expecto View Post
    Impossible is nothing! lol... Interest can be the biggest motivation when learning sth. really difficult, right? Gain passion over the language and have fun learning it!
    You're right, i haven't given up, just had a bad start i guess.......
    I'm interested enough since i will be living there for a year, and i like to talk .

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    8
    Almost no transition in English is satisfying. I insist on that Chinese is something worthy to learn, although it's so tough. China is profound and extensive at it's clssical culture, such as philosophy,literature, paint and calligraphy. Here is the famous website of poetry in China: .lingshidao.com There are many chinese classical poetry in English as well as English poetry in Chinese. Hope you enjoy some Chinese peotry through it.

  9. #9
    Just another nerd RobinHood3000's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    7,675
    Blog Entries
    26
    Li Po, most definitely. (Known sometimes Li Tai Bai)
    Por una cabeza
    Si ella me olvida
    Qué importa perderme
    Mil veces la vida
    Para qué vivir

  10. #10
    A ist der Affe NickAdams's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Some mesto, or another. Bog knows you wouldn't be able to viddy me from your okno.
    Posts
    1,481
    I haven't read many classical Chinese poets, or their poems, but I like the first line from Du Fu's Facing Snow:

    After the battle, many new ghosts cry,

    "Do you mind if I reel in this fish?" - Dale Harris

    "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." - Ernest Hemingway


    Blog

  11. #11
    Registered User uranderson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    34
    Kenneth Rexroth has some very good english translations of Tu Fu and others. Written on the Wall at Chang's Hermitage is one of my favorites and can be found here.

    edit: there is an annoying popup when you follow the link, just click "start reading" and you'll be set.

    This link is better because you can scoll up or down to see other poems and poets. Li Po's just above is very good and somewhat famous.
    Last edited by uranderson; 08-30-2007 at 02:58 AM.
    Currently Reading:
    Black Elk Speaks - John G. Neihardt
    Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
    Blue Highways- William Least Heat-Moon


    "...it is in the darkness of their eyes that men get lost." Black Elk

    "To insist that diligent thought would bring an understanding of change was to limit life to the comprehensible." William Least Heat-Moon

  12. #12
    A ist der Affe NickAdams's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Some mesto, or another. Bog knows you wouldn't be able to viddy me from your okno.
    Posts
    1,481
    Great stuff. Thank you. I've been having trouble writing a short story, but the put it in perspective for me.

    "Do you mind if I reel in this fish?" - Dale Harris

    "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." - Ernest Hemingway


    Blog

  13. #13
    Torchbearer Demian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    177
    Chan Sei Chow was a boy befriended by an English missionary. She translated his poems and had them published in one small book. This is from memory, so consider it a transliteration:

    A bowl full of rice,
    A lotus leaf in hand-
    I lay back on my hammock
    and sway with my love for God.

  14. #14
    Do you guys read these poems in Chinese? There is so much lost in translation.

  15. #15
    Clouder Clouder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Beijing, China
    Posts
    8
    It is nice to know that some people here appreciate chinese acient poetry. Li Bai, Du Fu are all from Tsang(Tang) dynasty, which is one of the splendid era for chinese literature especially for the poetry. Personally, I love Song Ci (a literature form in Song dynasty, between poetry and prose, need to follow strict writing rules as well; the rhythm in Ci is more preferrable for me).

    Genearlly, chinese poetry is also so interwined with songs and traditional instruments, and each era(traced back to 2000 years ago) has its own unique styles and transformations. I've read a little bit of English translations, which is however quite literal and losts the metaphoric meanings and "behind" beauty. Another reason is that Chinese has 4 different tunes for each character, which is lost too. But I do appreciate translators' efforts. I myself might start doing a bit bidirectional translations now and then, which is always quite interesting, since there is a huge creative space left in between.

    Here are just a couple of links:
    http://www.chinapage.org/poet-e/english.html
    http://www.chinapage.com/poetry9.html

    Hope you enjoy it.

    There is an anecdote about Chinese poetry (Tsang Dynasty) and Pink Floyd's first album lyrics - Piper at the Gates of Down. Some lyrics are inspired by chinese poetry or even the translation. That's quite interesting!
    http://www.cjvlang.com/Pfloyd/index.html
    后来我总算学会了如何去爱
    可惜你早已远去消失在人海
    后来终于在眼泪中明白
    有些人一旦错过就不再...
    如果当时我们能不那么倔强
    现在也不那么遗憾

    "I hope in the next life, I could Love you again."

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Discuss literary movements
    By wordsworth in forum General Literature
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 10-09-2010, 12:37 PM
  2. One Of The Most Well-known Chinese Poem
    By joynone in forum Poems, Poets, and Poetry
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 12-28-2006, 03:28 PM
  3. Chinese Squabble (Read Swap Scrabble)
    By antonxie in forum Who Said That?
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-23-2003, 04:36 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •