How to Read Chinese Poetry in Context: Poetic Culture from Antiquity Through the Tang

How to Read Chinese Poetry in Context provides an introduction to the golden age of Chinese poetry,spanning the earliest times through the Tang dynasty. It aims to break down barriers between language and culture, poetry and history, and demonstrates the unique and central role of poetry in the making of Chinese culture. Each chapter focuses on a specific theme, such as diplomacy, court politics, empire building, and institutionalized learning, and how poems shed light on gender and womens status, war and knight-errantry, Daoist and Buddhist traditions, and more. The volume includes historical vignettes and anecdotes that contextualize individual poems and investigate how some featured texts subvert and challenge the grand narratives of Chinese history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2018
Publisher: Columbia University Press

How to Read Chinese Poetry in Context is a comprehensive guide to the rich and diverse world of Chinese poetry, spanning from its earliest origins to the Tang dynasty (618-907). Its primary objective is to dismantle the barriers that have hindered the teaching and learning of Chinese poetry, bridging the gap between language and culture, poetry and history. This volume serves as both a beginner's primer in early Chinese poetry and a testament to the unique and central role that poetry plays in shaping Chinese culture.

Throughout the book, each chapter focuses on a specific theme to explore the intricate interplay between poetry and the world. Readers will discover the profound influence of poetry on Chinese diplomacy, court politics, empire-building, and institutionalized learning. They will also gain insights into the roles of poetry in addressing gender and women's status, war and knight-errantry, Daoist and Buddhist traditions, and various other aspects of Chinese society. The chapters further showcase how individuals from different social classes utilized poetry as a tool for gaining entry into officialdom, establishing self-identity, fostering friendships, and expressing grievances.

To enhance the reader's understanding, the volume includes historical vignettes and anecdotes that contextualize individual poems. These vignettes investigate how certain featured texts subvert and challenge the grand narratives of Chinese history. By presenting poems in both Chinese and English translations, accompanied by comprehensive commentary, How to Read Chinese Poetry in Context seamlessly combines the study of poetry with the social circumstances surrounding its creation. This groundbreaking approach makes it an invaluable resource for scholars and enthusiasts of Chinese language, literature, history, and culture.

Weight: 786g
Dimension: 217 x 279 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231185370