The Bamboo Studio Collection

Wang Mian, the herd boy who became a painter of plum blossoms, left poems of hermitage and protest. Proud and independent, he refused office under the Mongols, and his poems speak of poverty, nature and the suffering of the people. This is a complete new English translation, with names in modern pinyin and the text rendered as plain, readable English prose. Each poem is given in clear English that keeps its images and its order of lines, so readers can follow the poet's thought without notes. Poetry was the highest art of traditional China, written by emperors, officials, monks, courtesans and soldiers, and these poems are among the finest ever written in any language. It is an ideal book for curious readers who want to explore Chinese literature and thought beyond the few famous titles, in a clear modern English version.