Willow, wine, mirror, moon : women's poems from Tang China / translated from the Chinese with an introduction by Jeanne Larsen.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Gotham Book Mart Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Larsen, Jeanne.

Series:

Lannan translations selection series

The Lannan translations selection series

Language:

Chinese

English

Subjects (All):

Chinese poetry--Women authors--Translations into English.

Chinese poetry.

Chinese poetry--Tang dynasty, 618-907--Translations into English.

Chinese poetry--Women authors.

Penn Provenance:

Gotham Book Mart (former owner) (Gotham Book Mart Collection copy)

Physical Description:

151 pages ; 23 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Women's poems from Tang China

Place of Publication:

Rochester, NY : BOA Editions, 2005.

Summary:

This collection of 106 poems by 44 female Tang-era poets is the most comprehensive of its kind. Poets are organized based on their status in Tang dynasty society: women of the court, women of the household, courtesans and entertainers, and women of religion. While each poet's concerns vary with their social status, common thematic threads include heartbreak and the mysteries of the natural world. Thumbnail biographies of each poet and notes regarding individual poems complete this important collection.

Jeanne Larsen has published poetry, three novels set in China, and a book of poetry translation, "Brocade River Poems: Selected Works of the Tang Dynasty Courtesan Xue Tao." She teaches in the creative writing program at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.

Contents:

I Women of the Court

/ Ms. Changsun, the Wende Empress

Song: Wandering in Spring 23

/ Empress Wu Zhao aka Wu Zetian

An Evening Banquet as the Year Begins, Wine Cups Floating Past 24

In the Stony-Torrents Mountains 25

/ Shangguan Wan'er aka Shangguan Zhaorong

Plaint: Her Beautiful Letters 26

from Twenty-Five Poems upon Traveling to the Changning Princess's Floating Wine Cup Pond 27

/ Jiang Caiping

Declining a Gift of Pearls 32

/ Yang Yuhuan, the Cherished Consort

For My Maidservant Zhang Yunrong, upon Seeing Her Dance 33

/ The Yifen Princess

Written on a Screen at Empty-Pond Courier Station 34

/ Song Ruoxin aka Song Ruoshen

Teasing Lu Chang, a Bridesmaid from Down South 35

/ Song Ruozhao

Poem Rhyming with One by His Majesty, Written as Ordered at a Banquet in Linde Palace with a Hundred Colleagues 36

/ Song Ruoxian

Poem Rhyming with One by His Majesty, Written at a Banquet in Linde Palace with a Hundred Officials 37

/ Praiseworthy Consort Xu, Obedient and Sagely Queen Mother of Shu, Exemplary Consort Xu, Respectful and Sagely Dowager of Shu

from The Greenwall Pilgrimage Sequence 38

/ Li Xunxian

Accompanying His Majesty to the Greenwall Mountains, East of the Himalayas 46

In a Palace in Shu, Written at His Majesty's Command 47

Going Fishing, Getting Nothing 48

/ Lady Pistilstamens

Palace Lyrics 49

II Women of the Household

/ Ms. Sun

Hearing Music from a Zither 55

/ Zhang Wenji

Clouds at the Creek's Mouth 57

Bamboo at Pond's Edge 57

Egrets on the Shore 58

A Pair of Autumn-Blooming Mallows 58

/ Liu Yao

After an Old Song 59

In Darkness, Separation 60

/ Liu Shurou

Mooring at Wuchang on Mid-Autumn Festival Night 61

/ Huang Chongjia

On Declining to Marry a Prime Minister's Daughter 62

/ Wang Yunxiu

Joining My Husband on the Long Road to the Capital 63

On My Husband's Elevation to Grand Councilor: Sent to My Scornful Sisters 63

Advising My Husband to Broaden His Political Base 64

/ Madame Zhang

As in Olden Times 65

Willow Floss 66

Bowing to the New Moon 67

/ Ms. Zhao aka The Wife of Du Gao

My Husband Fails His Exams Again 68

On Hearing That My Husband Has Passed His Exams 68

/ Xue Yun

For Young Miss Zheng 69

/ Pei Shu

Answering My Husband, Yuan Zhen 71

/ Xue Yuan

Self-Portrait, Sent to My Husband 72

/ Pei Yuxian

Missing Him: Two Poems 73

/ Ms. Jiang

In Answer to My Sisters, Who Want Me to Stop Drinking 74

III Courtesans and Entertainers

/ The Lotus Courtesan

Offered to the Recluse Chen Tao 77

/ Chang Hao

For Madame Lu 78

Poem Sent Far Away 79

/ Shi Feng

Scent-of-Delirium Cave 81

The Pillow of the Divine Cock 81

An Incense-Burner Pillow 82

Soup for a Closed Door 82

/ A Courtesan from Xiangyang

Saying Goodbye to Wu Buque 83

/ Guan Panpan

Swallow Tower: Three Poems 84

Rhyming with a Poem by Master Bo 85

/ A Courtesan from Taiyuan

Sent to Ouyang Zhan 86

/ Xue Tao aka Xue Hongdu

On the Pond, a Pair of Birds 87

Love-Duck Herb 87

Goldenlamp Flowers 87

Longing for Litchis 88

To General Gao, Who Smashed the Rebellion for the Son of Heaven 88

Rhyming with a Poem Given Me by Secretary Li, at a Banquet Graced by Courtesans like Willows 88

In Response to Commissioner Wu 89

/ Liu Caichun

Ah, Let Him Come Back to Me 90

/ Zhou Dehua

Willow Branches 92

/ Yan Lingbin

Nearing My End, and Inviting Guests 93

/ Wang Susu

Poem Using the Rhyme Words of Li Biao's Outrageous Come-on 94

IV Women of Religion

/ Qi Xiaoyao

Song 97

/ Li Ye aka Li Jilan

On My Sickbed by the Lake, Happy Because Lu Hongjian Has Arrived 98

Here by Chance 98

Parting on a Night When the Moon Shines Clear 99

Sent to Zhu Fang 99

The Tao and the Path: Thoughts Sent to Officiary Cui 100

/ Zhuo Yingying

Practicing My Heaven-Organ 101

/ Lu [or Hu] Meiniang aka Lu Xiaoyao

Poem Rhyming with Zhuo Yingying's "Practicing My Heaven-Organ" 101

/ Yu Xuanji

Another Poem on Riverside Willow Trees 102

Depression: Two Poems 103

Struck by a Mood at Spring's End: Sent to a Friend 105

Written on a Wall of Abundance Temple, Built by Hermit Ren 106

Calling on the Right Reverend Taoist Mistress Zhao, Who's Not at Home 107

A Summer Day, a Mountain Home 108

/ Yuan Chun

Springtime Views in the Land of Qin 109

Hidden Meaning / Sexual Alchemy 110

Sent to My Senior Sisters in the Luoyang Region 111

/ Haiyin

Nighttime, Aboard a Boat, One Text 112.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 144-148).

ISBN:

1929918747

1929918739

OCLC:

60669100