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The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry
The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry presents translations of more than 420 poems by 96 poets drawn from the great ages of Chinese poetry. It begins with selections from the Book of Odes , the oldest anthology of Chinese poetry compiled around the seventh century B.C., and covers the succeeding generations down to the end of the Sung dynasty in A.D. 1279.
Important poets such as T´ao Yüan-ming, LiPo, Tu Fu, Su Tung-p´o, and Lu Yu are treated in separate sections with generous samplings from their works, while lesser poets are represented in chapters devoted to the particular era in which they lived. A general introduction discusses the major characteristics and forms of traditional Chinese poetry, while introductory essays to the individual chapters outline the history of poetic development in China over the centuries.
Important poets such as T´ao Yüan-ming, LiPo, Tu Fu, Su Tung-p´o, and Lu Yu are treated in separate sections with generous samplings from their works, while lesser poets are represented in chapters devoted to the particular era in which they lived. A general introduction discusses the major characteristics and forms of traditional Chinese poetry, while introductory essays to the individual chapters outline the history of poetic development in China over the centuries.
Paperback
First published April 15, 1984
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About the author
Burton Watson
135 books49 followersBurton Watson was an American sinologist, translator, and writer renowned for his English translations of Chinese and Japanese literature. Over his prolific career, he brought classical works of poetry, philosophy, and history to a wider audience, earning numerous accolades, including the PEN Translation Prize and the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation.
Born in New Rochelle, New York, Watson served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before studying Chinese at Columbia University. He later moved to Japan, where he worked as a scholar and translator, remaining there for most of his life. His translations, influenced by Arthur Waley and Ezra Pound, emphasized clarity and poetic resonance. Among his most notable works are translations of The Analects of Confucius, Records of the Grand Historian, The Lotus Sutra, Cold Mountain: 100 Poems by Han Shan, and The Tale of the Heike.
Watson’s work played a crucial role in introducing Chinese and Japanese literary traditions to the English-speaking world, and his translations continue to be regarded as both scholarly and literary achievements.
Born in New Rochelle, New York, Watson served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before studying Chinese at Columbia University. He later moved to Japan, where he worked as a scholar and translator, remaining there for most of his life. His translations, influenced by Arthur Waley and Ezra Pound, emphasized clarity and poetic resonance. Among his most notable works are translations of The Analects of Confucius, Records of the Grand Historian, The Lotus Sutra, Cold Mountain: 100 Poems by Han Shan, and The Tale of the Heike.
Watson’s work played a crucial role in introducing Chinese and Japanese literary traditions to the English-speaking world, and his translations continue to be regarded as both scholarly and literary achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 21, 2025
This is a very nice collection of Chinese poetry, filled with wonderful literature from many time periods, but it is also a useful survey for students or others new to these works.
Much of the literature here is available in other collections, especially the poetry from the biggest Tang writers, but a lot of it was still new to me. And the introduction, chapter openings, and back matter were very useful, even for bits I'd read elsewhere. Burton Watson does an excellent job of explaining and teaching those of us in the West who are unfamiliar with the references and common symbols and the like or are still working out the differences between the various poetic forms. It's hard (but not impossible) to appreciate poetry in translation if you don't have some of these additional helps, and I appreciate how well Burton Watson supported us.
I still prefer books that are collections of works all by a single author--for the same reason that I prefer the original albums to "best of" albums, which are nice but lacking something--so I don't have quite the same feeling when I read collections like this, with examples from so many different authors. It feels somewhat artificial in a way I can't entirely defend. But it obviously has its uses, and this is a very good example of that type of collection. In addition to presenting some very fine poetry and educating me on it, a benefit of books like this one is tipping me off to "new" poets (from 1000 years ago or 800 years ago!) that may have whole books of just their work done by some helpful translator that I can now go look for. I have a few such names that I intend to follow up on.
In general, I love Chinese poetry for it's themes and simple clarity--so much is about loving the land, admiring a beautiful landscape, drinking wine with a neighbor, growing vegetables on a small plot, looking out over a river for a sail you recognize, and other romantic topics--and there's a bunch of that here. I'm aware that there can be many important messages buried in such simple-looking lines, which the editor sometimes clues us into, but even without that it's possible to love much of this literature. My favorites? Wang Wei, Li Po, and Tu Fu, out of the Tang era (who are so popular it is kind like saying you like Shakespeare, but it's true), and Su Tung-p'o, from the later Sung era. However, I'm now on the hunt for books focused on Lu Yu, Mei Yao-ch'en, and a few others. That alone makes it worth looking into this collection.
Wish me luck finding them.
New readers especially should take a look at this collection. Recommended.
Much of the literature here is available in other collections, especially the poetry from the biggest Tang writers, but a lot of it was still new to me. And the introduction, chapter openings, and back matter were very useful, even for bits I'd read elsewhere. Burton Watson does an excellent job of explaining and teaching those of us in the West who are unfamiliar with the references and common symbols and the like or are still working out the differences between the various poetic forms. It's hard (but not impossible) to appreciate poetry in translation if you don't have some of these additional helps, and I appreciate how well Burton Watson supported us.
I still prefer books that are collections of works all by a single author--for the same reason that I prefer the original albums to "best of" albums, which are nice but lacking something--so I don't have quite the same feeling when I read collections like this, with examples from so many different authors. It feels somewhat artificial in a way I can't entirely defend. But it obviously has its uses, and this is a very good example of that type of collection. In addition to presenting some very fine poetry and educating me on it, a benefit of books like this one is tipping me off to "new" poets (from 1000 years ago or 800 years ago!) that may have whole books of just their work done by some helpful translator that I can now go look for. I have a few such names that I intend to follow up on.
In general, I love Chinese poetry for it's themes and simple clarity--so much is about loving the land, admiring a beautiful landscape, drinking wine with a neighbor, growing vegetables on a small plot, looking out over a river for a sail you recognize, and other romantic topics--and there's a bunch of that here. I'm aware that there can be many important messages buried in such simple-looking lines, which the editor sometimes clues us into, but even without that it's possible to love much of this literature. My favorites? Wang Wei, Li Po, and Tu Fu, out of the Tang era (who are so popular it is kind like saying you like Shakespeare, but it's true), and Su Tung-p'o, from the later Sung era. However, I'm now on the hunt for books focused on Lu Yu, Mei Yao-ch'en, and a few others. That alone makes it worth looking into this collection.
Wish me luck finding them.
New readers especially should take a look at this collection. Recommended.
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December 11, 2022Great collection of Chinese poetry, although I would have gotten rid of the early sections on Book of Odes and replaced them with more poems by major figures later on.
Personal favorites - Tu Fu, Lu Yu, Su Tung-p'o, and Po Chu-i.
Personal favorites - Tu Fu, Lu Yu, Su Tung-p'o, and Po Chu-i.
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November 4, 2019nfdhfvd.l;ld
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May 4, 2011I needed to read the major Chinese formal poets (Li Po, Tu Fu) as well as the zen poets (Han Shan, T'ao Yuan-ming/T'ao Ch'ien, Po Chu-i, Su Tung-p'o) to get a better feel of taoism and the Chinese sensibility in general. The things that struck me were the melancholy, sensitivity, and realism of the Chinese mind. These people are not dreamers/idealists, although Li Po had a couple of fantastical poems which were great! Everything is about nature, the concrete, the here and now, and of course taoistic thinking such as not judging or dividing. The ancient Chinese artistic types seemed to really know how to live and appreciate every moment of beauty.
As far as this Burton Watson translation is concerned it seems good. But I haven't compared it with any other anthologies.
As far as this Burton Watson translation is concerned it seems good. But I haven't compared it with any other anthologies.
January 20, 2008
lose articles
September 7, 2016
Excellent.
October 30, 2024
Translations from Chinese are difficult, I'm sure. I've found better translations though.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews