LATEST DISCOUNTS & SALES: PROMOTIONS

Close Notification

Your cart does not contain any items

$30.95

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

QTY:

English
Oxford University Press
17 March 2022
Elegies of Chu (in Chinese, Chuci), one of the two surviving collections of ancient Chinese poetry, is a key source for the whole tradition of Chinese poetry. Because the elegies contain passionate expressions of political protest as well as shamanistic themes of magic spells and wandering spirits, they present an alternative face of early Chinese culture; one that does not align with orthodox Confucianism. This translation employs literary English devices in order to emphasise the original structure of these Chinese poems. It also examines the extraordinarily vivid diction of the source texts, including of onomatopoeia, ornate descriptions, exotic flowers, dramatic landscapes, metaphors and startling similes. This translation will be based on the original anthology compiled in the Han dynasty by Wang Yi (2nd century CE), and contains a selection of poems that were collected from the 3rd century BCE through the Han dynasty. The anthology provides readers with an understanding of Chinese literature and its evolution from free-spirited, mythico-religious songs to the more formal, polished style of the Han court.

By:  
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 195mm,  Width: 130mm,  Spine: 15mm
Weight:   232g
ISBN:   9780198818311
ISBN 10:   0198818319
Series:   Oxford World's Classics
Pages:   352
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Nicholas Morrow Williams is Associate Professor in the School of Chinese of the University of Hong Kong and editor of Tang Studies. He studies and translates classical Chinese poetry both for its own sake and in the contexts of comparative literature, Buddhist studies, Sino-Japanese cultural interactions, translation studies, intellectual history, and other fields. His research increasingly concerns the role of Buddhism in the development of Chinese literature and culture.

Reviews for Elegies of Chu

The harmony of erudition and elegance of Williams' renditions will allow his translation to become the standard English version of the Chuci text for years to come. * William H. Nienhauser, Jr., Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews *


See Also