The Shambhala Anthology Of Chinese Poetry

In traditional Chinese culture, the written word, along with the appreciation of it, was prized with an almost religious reverence. Poetry held a place that was unrivaled by any other single art, ability, or practical accomplishment. Poetic talent was a source of prestige and affluence and even of political power. In this rich, comprehensive collection of Chinese poetry, J. P. Seaton, the preeminent American translator and scholar of Chinese literature, introduces the reader to the main styles of Chinese poetry and the major poets, from the classic Shih Ching (The Book of Songs), which dates from 1766 BCE, to the twentieth century. Unlike many academics, Seaton has a poet's ear, and his translations here are fresh and vivid. His commentaries on the poems illuminate their historical and stylistic significance.