Anthology of Chinese Literature Volume I, from Early Times to the Fourteenth Century

by Cyril Birch (Editor)

Publisher's series: Penguin Classics #203

Genres: China, Poetry, Anthologies, Fiction, Literature, Chinese Literature, College

487 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[v · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology of Chinese literature (of which there are many) appealed to me because in addition to poetry, plays, and short fiction selections it also includes letters, essays, biography and criticism. It is very nearly a complete introductory sampler for this extensive body of superb literature. Judging by its wide availability and its debut on Grove Press in the 1960s, I can imagine this book might have been many Americans' first encounter with poets like Han-shan and Li Bai since the Beat era.
Nevertheless, poetry remains the star of this volume: the tradition begins with the the early Book of Songs and prose-like fu poetry of the Book of Chu, develops significantly in the Han dynasty poets, reaches a lofty peak in the Tang dynasty, and murmurs along in the melancholy and courtly tzu lyrics of the Song Dynasty. The translations draw from the major lights of mid-century scholarship with plenty of Burton Watson and Arthur Waley; everybody's favorite delinquent, Ezra Pound, also appears for the Book of Songs, which makes for a rather imposing start to the volume. Of the prose selections, I was most taken with the biography excerpts from Sima Qian's histories, the famed Tang short story, "Yingying's Biography," and Han Yu's essays.
My only real complaint is that the introductory essay and chapter prefaces are very scant and offer little to contextualize the literary forms and themes for the reader.

Envoi:
Enough! There are no true men in the state: no one to understand me.
Why should I cleave to the city of my birth?
Since none is worthy to work with in making good government,
I will go and join P'eng Hsien in the place where he abides.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was much more of an effortless read than I feared it would be. What was the most striking is just how similar the fears and hopes for society were 2,000 - 2,500 years ago in a totally alien world were to our own today. And there's a poem about losing your hair that made me feel better about the whole thing for about 10 minutes - a true accomplishment.

Some of the imagery and poetry is astonishing. With that power and feeling evident in a translation, one can only wonder at its potency in real Chinese.

[Craig Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It could have done without the leaden, clunking rhyming of Nazi collaborator Ezra Pound, but that takes up only a small portion (albeit near the beginning, where it leaves an impression). Other than that, though, this is a very fine collection, particularly the prose selections.

(I know that Ezra Pound being an unrepentant Nazi collaborator is, strictly speaking, irrelevant to the quality of his work. However, when this book was published (in 1965), it really should have put him beyond the pale. Moreover, much of his work as featured here really is bad.)

[Anna C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been a 5 star if the editor had included more commentary to help us philistine foreigners appreciate what we're reading.

[Ron Me]

This is far and away the bust Chinese anthology I've ever read. I highly recommend it. I'm buying the second volume.

[Tslyklu · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And, because of her languor, a maid was lifting her
When first the Emperor noticed her and chose her for his bride.
The cloud of her hair, petal of her cheek, gold ripples of her crown
when she moved,
Were sheltered on spring evenings by warm hibiscus-curtains;
But nights of spring were short and the sun arose too soon,
And the Emperor, from that time forth, forsook his early hearings
And lavished all his time on her with feasts and revelry,
His mistress of the spring, his despot of the night."

From "Song of Unending Sorrow" by Bai Ju-yi, translated by Witter Bynner.

[James Violand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology. Grasps the essentials - the mortar that binds the ancient Chinese culture. Excellent scholarship. The brilliance of composition is displayed even though we in the West do not have the art of the characters that give an additional perspective to this artform.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my introductory note on 'Identity, the Nano God'

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This literature is filled with wild tales of plum wine in the moonlight and the first Emperors of China. There are short stories and great poetry. I really enjoyed this translation.

[Lisa]

Anthology of Chinese Literature from Early Times to the Fourteenth Century (Anthology of Chinese Literature) (1987)

[Richard Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up mainly for reference - my major in college was Asian history - specifically China.

[Lulu]

Chou dynasty (1122 - 221 BCE) to y’an dynasty (1280 -1367 CE)