The Collection of Supreme Marvels (el. knyga) (skaityta knyga) | knygos.lt

Aprašymas

The Tang dynasty (618-907) was a golden age for Chinese literature. Hundreds of poets from this period left us with enduring verses on topics ranging from historical reminiscences and scenic landscapes to religious speculations and introspective musing. The Collection of Supreme Marvels is the first English translation of a classic Tang anthology that offers an introduction to this period from the perspective of one of its own, one hundred poems compiled by the Tang poet and government official, Yao He, whose main criterion of selection was to identify poems that were perfectly crafted in conformity to the period's rules of verse. Most of the poems are four or eight lines long, and they typically depict a particular scene or situation, neatly balancing historical allusions and natural imagery to create a harmonious synthesis. In Yao He's view, they are the "supreme marvels" of poetry from his time.

The selection includes one of the most famous Tang poets, Wang Wei, along with twenty other poets who were active in the eighth century CE. Most are scholar-officials whose poems reflect their personal travails as they strive for success in their careers. Four of the poets are Buddhist monks who were social acquaintances of these scholar-officials, and whose poetry highlights the aspiration for spiritual tranquility that pervades many of the poems.

This translation provides a faithful but lyrical rendering of the entire anthology and is accompanied by the original Chinese text, an introduction, and explanatory notes. The result is a rich collection that will offer both scholars and lay readers a new perspective on classical Chinese poetry.