Push Open the Window: Contemporary Poetry from China

by Qingping Wang (Editor), Sylvia Li-Chun Lin (Translator), Howard Goldblatt (Translator)

"[It] was Tomas Tranströmer who said that poetry was like the notes kids pass back and forth in the classroom, while that history teacher drones away at the podium. We are going to be hearing a lot about China in the next decade, about its economy, its foreign and environmental policies. It's going to be the work of translation that will give glimpses—human glimpses—at what's going on."—Robert Hass, The Believer Forty-nine of China's finest contemporary poets are represented in this luminous bilingual anthology, produced as part of the National Endowment for the Arts' International Literary Exchanges. Profoundly influenced by the Cultural Revolution, the poets' work reflects the turmoil of that time—from the blunt and sharply focused political work of Bai Hua and Yu Jian to the hermetic images and landscapes of the Misty poets. From "Higher Duty" by Shu On my way home, I stop by the market at Huangjia Ferry
To buy a dozen eggs and half a watermelon
Miffed that the greengrocer will not cut me a deal
I pocket some green onions when he is not looking
I might someday be carrying out my duties
As General Secretary of the United Nations
Devoting myself completely to world peace. Even so, I did not forget
To make egg-drop soup with green onions for my son. The poets were selected by Chinese editor Qingping Wang. The project was coordinated in the United States by noted translators Howard Goldblatt and Sylvia Li-chun Lin.

Genres: China, Poetry

450 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fine collection in both English and Chinese introduces the reader to 41 contemporary poets. The work spans a range of styles, attitudes, and showcases several movements in Chinese literature. If you haven't seen enough modern Chinese literature or poetry, offers a taste treat. Several poems are offered from each writer. Readers can find several examples of poems to try, will find modern Buddhism in the style of few, and likely will regret the early loss of some of these writers. Taken from a period following the Cultural Revolution, the writers initially reflect the sad time and then gradually more optimism appears. Poets are listed in age sequence, many who are now professors at major universities in China.

[Shimin Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having different poets to form one book could really get readers understand different aspects of poetry. Especially having every poem translated to another language, it is so cool that this book is bilingual.
It's obvious that reading this book will gain so much that you might not even be able to remember all. Because every poem has a theme, a universal message that everyone might realize during or after reading the poem. "Poems are meant to be read outloud" I remember someone said. And it's true that when you read the words outloud, you get a better image of the tone, which is the speaker's attitude.