QUESTION:
This poet of the Tang dynasty was born in
701 and is thought to have grown up in Sichuan
province. His life appeared to have been one
of wandering, with brief periods of both court
privileges and political exile. He died only
a few years after the An Lu-shan rebellion
of 755.
His poetry is known for its easy rhythms
and clear expression, as well as for the grace
with which it explores social situations and
personal states of mind. "The River Merchant's
Wife" is, perhaps, this poet's best-known
work among Western readers. This poem, in
the translated version by the Modernist poet
Ezra Pound, is widely anthologized in 20th
century English-language poetry collections.
Who is this famous poet?
A. Wong Kar-wai;
B. Po Li;
C. Li Po;
D. Mao Zedong.
ANSWERS:
If you guessed C, you are correct.
Chinese poetry can, like other highly developed
literary forms, be difficult to grasp in the
beginning, but the beautiful imagery and unique
style make discovering Chinese poetry very
rewarding.
If you guessed D, the founder of the People's
Republic of China in 1949, you are wrong.
But Chairman Mao remains well known for his
patriotic, stirring revolutionary poems that
are also well worth the effort to read.
