2015 Chinese Poets in Translation Reading Group
Chris Wallach and I are starting a reading group in 2015 with the aim of reading one of the translations each month of such poets as Wang Wei, Han-Shan, Li Ch’ing-chao, Tu Fu, Su Tung-p’o, Bo Juyi,…
Category: China
Happy New Year from Wendy Lee in China
Couldn’t think of a better way to spend the last day of 2014, rafting down the Yulong river in complete solitude. First time ever ringing in the new year alone. Instead of feeling lonely, I’m…
Three Anthologies
Cristina, As you continue your journey into the world of poetry, I can enthusiastically recommend the following anthologies compiled by Eliot Weinberger: The New Directions Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry American Poetry since 1950: Innovators and…
Share the Wealth on Sunday 7 September, with Harmony Bell: A Life in China
How does one make the decision to leave one’s home country for almost a decade and set up home in a new land? What type of experiences are gained as a minority twice-over? After spending…
A Reminder
Thanks to Candice Simon, who shared this with me.
Reading/713 (Master Chu)
In reading, you must keep your mind glued to the text. Only when every sentence and every character falls into place have you done a good job of thinking through the work. In general, the…
Appreciating Arthur Waley
for my multilingual friends and lovers of literature Notes on Ivan Morris, ed., Madly Singing in the Mountains: An Appreciation and Anthology of Arthur Waley Related Books Ezra Pound, The ABC of Reading; Anne-Marie Schimmel,…
Viva Tang
Ten thousand and two texts A thousand and three tweets 644 Facebook status updates 87 cell phone messages save or delete Enough already! Take a deep breath Leave behind the technology And go out To…
Wang Yang-ming
Catch yourself thinking. –Allen Ginsberg The influential neo-Confucian philosopher Wang Yang-ming was influenced by Ch’an Buddhism throughout his life. And not just intellectually: He spent regularly time at Buddhist monasteries. So, it isn’t surprising to…
Happy Every Day
I take both grace and insult With cheerful equanimity — Du Fu Dear Wendy, Congrats on your decision to move to China and, as Kerouac advised, be in love with your Shanghai life. I marvel…