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He is like us; his times were like ours; his art shows what he thought about it as he came to terms with the unexpected turns of his life. A light dose of the history of the times, detailed footnotes explaining metaphor and meaning, and above all, the humanity of the poet, is revealed by the poems. I discovered this gem of a book as a result of reading another text. I was absolutely amazed to realize how well the "songs" (named because many Chinese poems are written to go with a tune) covered the angst and anguish of unemployment, parting with friends, watching a war go on and on.the line "ages to come will warm themselves at your verses" wasn't originally written about Han Shan, but it could apply to him.It's dramatically different from western poetry: plainer, blunter, shocking in the depth of its emotional content conveyed in a dry, often matter-of-fact tone.
I gave the book to a friend for his birthday and now I miss it. First among all Buddhist virtues is charity, but here its unwise practice leads to the loss of life. Such are the results of dogma, even Buddhist dogma. I first learned about this poet, a Chinese hermit who lived outside of a Buddhist monastery, from a video called Cold Mountain made by The Center for International Education: www.thecie.org I became intrigued with Han Shan (Cold Mountain is the English translation of his name), decided to buy this book translated by Red Pine (there are several translations) because I most liked what Red Pine had to say in the video. Guess I've got to buy another. A poem that I really like: Two turtles aboard an ox carttook part in a highway dramaa scorpion came alongsidebegging desperately for a rideto refuse would violate goodwillto accept would weigh them downin a moment too brief to describeacting kindly they got stung The translator's note: In the Lotus Sutra, the ox cart is used as a metaphor for the Great Vehicle of Salvation, with room for all. I love Cold Mountain's down-to-earth observations on daily life and find Red Pine's notes deepen my appreciation. The turtles are a scurrilous reference to bald-headed monks and nuns.
In all there are nice verses and it is in a nice looking book but I somehow feel something is utterly dry and lacking in a great deal of this. Had someone with a less scholarly mind translated these I wonder what they would have been like. If you want every detail of almost every poem and a serious analysis and interpretation then get this, if not, look to something simpler. This book is nice if you want detailed scholarly interpretation of almost every poem in the book. I've always liked simple Zen poetry that speaks for itself and this only does if you skip the painstaking analysis that litters almost every page.
It is no wonder that his work has been one of the staple sources throughout the history of Asian and Zen literature.This work has been significantly revised and expanded since its initial publication in 1983. The collected works of one of the greatest poets of T'ang dynasty China. The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain is an awesome source of classic Chinese wisdom poems.This revised edition includes a new and comprehensive introduction, excellent notes, and even photographs of the area (and caves) where Han Shan lived and wrote.An outstanding achievement. Red Pine has created a masterpiece with this new bilingual (English and Chinese) edition presenting all of Han Shan's known work (and even some of the great poems by his two friends, Shih-te, (aka Pickup) and Feng-kan (aka, Big Stick). Essential reading for students and admirer's of Zen, Buddhism, and Taoism.Red Pine's excellent translations of the poems of Han Shan, a great sage of China usually referred to as Cold Mountain, meets, and even exceeds the high standards we all have come to expect from this great translator.Written twelve centuries ago in the mountains and forest of China, Han Shan's poetry set the standard for all later Zen, Taoist poets. The poems of Cold Mountain reveal the heart and mind of enlightenment with images ranging from the isolated peaks of snow-capped mountains to the drunnken revelry Chinese cowboys.
I am happy to have purchased this book as a gift for a good friend This beautiful edition of the legendary poetry by the "Zen" poet Han Shan is a priceless contribution to know and experience his fascinating and miraculous, almost stoic and sometimes mystical utterances. Carefully edited, wonderful translations.
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