Review by Choice Review
Translations of verse by 72 poets of the Qing (Ch'ing) dynasty (16441911). Because scholarly studies and translations of classical poetry of the late imperial period in English are rare, Lo and Schultz's anthology, which also includes short biographical sketches of the poets and an informative introductory essay, essentially launches a quest for a more comprehensive picture of the poetic heritage of this era. The book's title comes from a metaphor employed in traditional Chinese literature to represent a longing for enlightened leadership and social harmony. The editors believe that a yearning for stability provides one of several commonalities linking a broad spectrum of Qing poets to each other as well as to their predecessors. However, this anthology also shows that diversity, far more than uniformity, characterizes Qing poetry. A proliferation of schools of poetry and literary criticism also underscores the diversity of the age. And while Qing poets, as descendents of a venerable literary tradition, generally expressed their innermost thoughts and feelings through traditional genres such as the ci (tz'u), which enjoyed its greatest popularity since the Song (Sung) dynasty, many utilized ancient forms to cultivate freshness and individuality. Ultimately, the heterogeneous interests, ideas, and tastes of its poets made the Qing dynasty, this anthology suggests, an age of great poetic vitality. Recommended for university libraries and public libraries with East Asian collections.-C.N. Canning, College of William and Mary
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
