Böcker av Jonathan Chaves

A prevalent view of Chinese poetic history among Western readers, already taken for granted by Chinese and Japanese readers, has been that after the so-called Four Masters of Southern Song, the poetry of Song Dynasty (960-1279) essentially came to an end, to be followed by developments in the subsequent three dynasties. Such a view, however, leaves out of consideration a number of accomplished poets in the later Song, whose work is deserving of closer attention both because of its innate quality, and because of its key role as a bridge to the later history of Chinese poetry. Among the most important of these late Song poets were four men from Wenzhou on the Zhejiang seacoast. They were known as the "Four Lings" because, apparently by common consent, they all had noms-de-plume containing the character ling, meaning "numinous" or "magical." The four were: Weng Juan (d. after 1214), Xu Zhao (d. 1211), Xu Ji (1162-1214), and Zhao Shixiu (1170-1219). As other late Song poets, the Four Lings leaned toward understated, straightforward diction that incurred the enmity of those who preferred the more flowery, allusive style of the high Tang. The whole history of Chinese poetry, in fact, can be seen as driven by an interesting tension between these two tendencies. Those literati critics who were suspicious of simplicity-often equating it with "commonness," even "vulgarity" (su ), were on one side of a divide of longstanding in the rich history of Chinese poetic criticism, privileging poetry dense with allusions, sometimes in nearly every line. The Four Lings might counter that these critics are themselves are tainted by pedantry or bookishness in their own poetic work. The retirement of the recluse is a theme that runs through many of the poems of all Four Lings. In fact, a dichotomy between "going forth" to serve in the civil service bureaucracy, and "withdrawing" to some degree of reclusive retirement, is so essential in Chinese thought that it may be considered a timeless component of Chinese civilization. Nor is it a merely "Daoist" as opposed to "Confucian" concept; Confucius himself famously declares in his Analects (7:11): "When they make use of you, then act; when they reject you, then hide away." To "hide away" (cang) implies withdrawal and reclusion of some kind, but with a readiness to re-emerge to serve, when the times improve. The Four Lings in their actual lives, aside from occasional low-level service in the administrations of local officials, were living outside the world of officialdom, while not yet participating in the full reclusion they so admired. They were buyi, "men in plain clothes," fully educated literati but not pursuing government service. There is an undoubted tension between service and withdrawal of various degrees and types, but it is a healthy one, encompassing a full and complex view of human life. The Four Lings deserve to be considered poets of consequence. Although Zhao and Weng are the most frequently cited in the writings of traditional scholars, and are therefore more profusely represented here, the two Xu's are also excellent. Indeed, it would be nearly impossible to convincingly distinguish amongst them stylistically. It is almost as if they share one poetic sensibility.

In the history of Chinese art, Wen Tong (1019 -1079) is considered the supreme master of bamboo painting. This widely shared assessment has perhaps overshadowed his equally brilliant poetry, which has remained virtually unknown. This book is the first in any Western language to present translations of selected poetry and prose by Wen, writings that bring to light aspects of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism rarely addressed by Chinese poets, as they involve devotional practices held in suspicion by many literati. A particular revelation is Wen's unusual interest in what might be called the folk religion of China, including tales of strange and supernatural events, and ceremonies of supplication to various gods, especially dragon deities controlling the rain.

The Yellow Mountains (Huang shan) of China's Anhui Province have been famous for centuries as a place of scenic beauty and inspiration for poets, painters, and travelers. As early as the Tang Dynasty (618­-906), visitors were climbing at considerable risk its austere rocky peaks with fantastic pine trees, and the area remains a hugely popular tourist destination today. A "golden age" of Yellow Mountains travel came in the 17th century, especially after the traumatic Manchu invasion of China in 1644 led to the overthrow of the Ming dynasty. The mountains subsequently became an important symbol for loyalists protesting the new Qing dynasty and hoping for a reaffirmation of native governance and ideals. Gazing at an album of paintings by Jiang Zhu of Yellow Mountain scenes, his fellow poet and artist Wang Hongdu (1646­-1721/1722) wrote: Open these paintings--not a single place is not a paradise! From this day on, I will be dreaming of wandering with the immortals. Wang was not content merely to look at paintings, however. He dedicated himself to traveling to each and every one of the "36 Peaks" as well as the "36 Lesser Peaks" of the Yellow Mountains, and recording his impressions. Yet his resulting masterpiece of Chinese travel writing, the Huangshan lingyao lu (A Record of Comprehending the Essentials of the Yellow Mountains), was not printed until 1775 and has since remained obscure and available only in Chinese. In the present book, Professor Jonathan Chaves of The George Washington University presents the first complete translation of Wang's work into a Western language, with extensive annotations. Wang's newly rediscovered poetry is also presented, showing him to be one of the most accomplished and expressive poets of his day. Introductory essays explore the history of scholarly and religious pilgrimage to the area, and the role of the Yellow Mountains in the great Neo-Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist revivals of the early Qing period, that is, as the center of a yearned-for spiritual and cultural renaissance.