I was thrilled when I saw this book pairing Ruan Ji and Xi Kang, the two principal members of the the Bamboo Grove. I had to wonder why no one thought of it sooner, as the two men where said to be lovers, and a single volume of their poetry would seem a natural product of common sense. Whatever prompted De Gruyter to remedy the obvious lacuna and publish their work together, I believe their decision will meet with the approval of many admirers of this poetic circle from the Three Kingdoms period. Oddly, neither Stephen Owen or Wendy Swartz make mention of their romance in their respective introductions to Ruan and and Xi's work, but despite the omission, the background they provide is first rate and extraordinarily helpful in appreciating Ruan and Xi's poetry. This is a finely crafted volume with an especially nice binding.
To the best of my knowledge, Swartz' translation of Xi Kang's poems are the first available in english. I am not sufficiently trained in Chinese to comment on the translation, but her renderings struck me as artful and understandable. Of the two men, Xi Kang was more firmly disposed to Daoism and the pursuit of immortality. I think Swartz does a fine job capturing the ephemeral and transcendental spirit of Daoism in Xi Kang's work. Many of the poems possess a moving elegance. For example, the first of eleven tetrasyllabic poems on page 341:
Smooth and full is the rolling water,
Link after link it flows on.
Tossed, tossed is the cypress boat,
Now drifting, now still.
I whistle softly in the pure breeze
And drum my oar, wavering and havering.
I set aside the paddle and cast my fishing pole
To spend all my days in carefree leisure!
Xi Kang had a great appreciation for music and many of the poems beautifully capture musical moments and musicians at their trade. His descriptions can be visceral and breathtaking. From page 377:
Then, as the tunes draw to an end,
The various notes are coming to a stop,
Chords are switched, modes are changed,
Then a marvelous melody sounds forth,
The musicians lift their heads, showing a serene countenance;
They pull their sleeves, revealing their fair wrists.
Their lissome fingers briskly fly across the zither....
Ruan Ji's poems have long been available in english as a part of the "Library of Chinese Classics." However, Stephen Owen's translations can be very different than the renderings offered by Wu Fusheng and Graham Hartill. No doubt this is due to the varied and motely versions of the poems that have tumbled and jumbled their way through history. Owen provides a survey of the problems regarding definitive texts in his introduction. An interesting and intriguing example is found on page 75:
Everyone says they want to live longer,
but if they live longer, where will they go?
The yellow swan cries out "Zi'an,"
a thousand autumns cannot be hoped for.
I sit alone among the cliffs,
in deep despair thinking of the one I yearn for.
And what did the Prince love?--
with tender affection he held another's hand.
So pleasing, even to now,
but dispute can occur in a moment.
Set aside things you can do tomorrow--
by this evening you will find yourself deceived.
The Wu/Hartill versions is very different:
People say they wish to prolong their lives.
Having done that, however, where can they go from there?
The yellow crane call out to its immortal rider Zi an--
such fate can never be expected.
Alone, I sit among the mountain rocks.
My heart is sore, and misses my beloved.
Prince Jin, that god, is truly beautiful!
I wish I could grow intimate with him
Love and harmony can only be found today;
now is only the moment for our planning.
Give up any thoughts about tomorrow.
This very evening we will find ourselves deceived.
Though erotic longing is clear in both renderings, Owen's version reveals a third party as the source of grief, whereas Wu/Hartill's translation simply expresses absence as the ground of suffering. Wu/Hartill declares Prince Jin's undoubted beauty and a remedy found in a rendezvous, but the Owen version reveals a deeper psychology at play and a patient attitude to unfolding events that will hopefully provide a fulfilling end. The different degree of subtlety and mystery is probably the result of redaction and editorial license or copyist clumsiness. I will leave it to the contemporary reader to discern their preference, but I rather like the Owen version.
This book is highly recommended not only for the poems, but Owen and Swartz' fine introductions and gracious footnoting. Very helpful.
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John C. Marshell Jr.
This is a finely crafted volume with an especially nice binding.
Granskad i USA den 1 maj 2018