Twenty-Nine Goodbyes
An Introduction to Chinese Poetry
Published on 3. December 2024
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-1-5315-0835-7 (ISBN)
Description
A primer for those with no previous knowledge of Chinese, this book introduces readers to the fundamentals of classical Chinese poetry through twenty-nine ways of understanding a single poem. "Seeing Off a Friend," by the great Tang poet Li Bai (701-762) has long been praised for its vividness, subtlety, and poignancy. Anthologizing twenty-nine translations of the poem, Timothy Billings not only introduces the poem's richness and depth but also the nuanced art of translating Chinese poetry into European languages.
A famous exemplar of "seeing off poetry," which was common in an empire whose literati were continually on the move, Li's poem has continued to fascinate readers far removed from its moment of composition, from the Victorians, to Ezra Pound, to contemporary translators from around the world. In talking us through these linguistic crossings, Billings unpacks the intricacies of the lueshi or "regulated verse poem," a form as pivotal to Chinese literature as the sonnet is to European tradition.
This book promises to transform its readers, step-by-step, into adept interpreters of one of the most significant verse forms in Chinese literary history. Billings's engaging teaching style, backed by a lightly worn but deep scholarly engagement with Chinese poetry, makes this work an indispensable guide for anyone interested in poetry, translation, or the cultural heritage of China.
A famous exemplar of "seeing off poetry," which was common in an empire whose literati were continually on the move, Li's poem has continued to fascinate readers far removed from its moment of composition, from the Victorians, to Ezra Pound, to contemporary translators from around the world. In talking us through these linguistic crossings, Billings unpacks the intricacies of the lueshi or "regulated verse poem," a form as pivotal to Chinese literature as the sonnet is to European tradition.
This book promises to transform its readers, step-by-step, into adept interpreters of one of the most significant verse forms in Chinese literary history. Billings's engaging teaching style, backed by a lightly worn but deep scholarly engagement with Chinese poetry, makes this work an indispensable guide for anyone interested in poetry, translation, or the cultural heritage of China.
More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
New edition
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
1 b/w illustration
Dimensions
Height: 206 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
363 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5315-0835-7 (9781531508357)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
12/2024
Fordham University Press
€43.99
Available for download
Person
Timothy Billings is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Middlebury College, where his expertise spans classical Chinese literature and Shakespeare. Billings has edited and translated three award-winning bilingual critical editions that draw upon Chinese sources: Victor Segalen's Steles / ???? (with Christopher Bush), Matteo Ricci's Essay on Friendship / ???: One Hundred Maxims for a Chinese Prince, and Ezra Pound's Cathay / ?. His work bridges the gap between Eastern and Western literary traditions and enriches the study and appreciation of classical Chinese poetry and its influence on global literature.
Content
Introduction 1
1 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Ezra Pound 4
2 "A Farewell," Herbert Giles 8
3 ??? (Seeing Off a Friend) 12
4 Categorical Comparatives, with Wang Li 16
5 "Sending Off (a) Friend(s)" 20
6 "Le depart d'un ami," Judith Gautier 24
7 "Saying Good-Bye to a Friend," Amy Lowell and Florence Ayscough 28
8 "Adieu," W. J. B. Fletcher 32
9 "Valedicit amico," Angelo Zottoli 36
10 "Geleit," Alfred Forke 40
11 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Obata Shigeyoshi 44
12 "Je reconduis un ami," Bruno Belpaire 48
13 "Le chanson d'adieu," Jean-Marie Guislain 52
14 "Farewell to a Friend," Henry Hart 56
15 "A Farewell to a Friend," Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu 62
16 "J'ai reconduit mon ami . . . ," Tchou Kia Kien and Armand Gandon 66
17 "Saying Farewell to a Friend," Robert Payne 72
18 ?? (Paraphrase), Xu Zhengzhong 76
Digression: Peng ? vs. Peng ? 82
19 "Farewell to a Friend," Adet Lin 86
20 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Innes Herdan 90
21 "Farewell to a Friend," Xu Yuanchong 94
22 "taking leaves (1)," "parting friend," Harry Gilonis 98
23 Tonal Balance: Ping ? and Ze ? 102
24 "Seeing Off a Friend," Jonathan Stalling 106
25 "Seeing Off a Friend," Gregory Whincup 110
26 "Seeing Off a Friend," Edward Chang 114
27 "Seeing Off a Friend," Red Pine / Bill Porter 118
28 Yinsong: In Song 122
29 "Seeing Off a Friend," Timothy Billings 130
Epilogue: What's in a Name? The Sonnet 152
Acknowledgments 163
Notes 165
Credits 177
References 179
1 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Ezra Pound 4
2 "A Farewell," Herbert Giles 8
3 ??? (Seeing Off a Friend) 12
4 Categorical Comparatives, with Wang Li 16
5 "Sending Off (a) Friend(s)" 20
6 "Le depart d'un ami," Judith Gautier 24
7 "Saying Good-Bye to a Friend," Amy Lowell and Florence Ayscough 28
8 "Adieu," W. J. B. Fletcher 32
9 "Valedicit amico," Angelo Zottoli 36
10 "Geleit," Alfred Forke 40
11 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Obata Shigeyoshi 44
12 "Je reconduis un ami," Bruno Belpaire 48
13 "Le chanson d'adieu," Jean-Marie Guislain 52
14 "Farewell to a Friend," Henry Hart 56
15 "A Farewell to a Friend," Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu 62
16 "J'ai reconduit mon ami . . . ," Tchou Kia Kien and Armand Gandon 66
17 "Saying Farewell to a Friend," Robert Payne 72
18 ?? (Paraphrase), Xu Zhengzhong 76
Digression: Peng ? vs. Peng ? 82
19 "Farewell to a Friend," Adet Lin 86
20 "Taking Leave of a Friend," Innes Herdan 90
21 "Farewell to a Friend," Xu Yuanchong 94
22 "taking leaves (1)," "parting friend," Harry Gilonis 98
23 Tonal Balance: Ping ? and Ze ? 102
24 "Seeing Off a Friend," Jonathan Stalling 106
25 "Seeing Off a Friend," Gregory Whincup 110
26 "Seeing Off a Friend," Edward Chang 114
27 "Seeing Off a Friend," Red Pine / Bill Porter 118
28 Yinsong: In Song 122
29 "Seeing Off a Friend," Timothy Billings 130
Epilogue: What's in a Name? The Sonnet 152
Acknowledgments 163
Notes 165
Credits 177
References 179