A River in Springtime: My Story of Li Yu in Myth and Poetry

by Li Yu, Susan W. Dolling

English (translation)
Original Chinese

68 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

About the author

Li Yu (李煜) (ca. 937 – 15 August 978), also known as Li Houzhu (李後主), was the third ruler of the Southern Tang dynasty of China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and a poet.

Reviews

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very happy to have read this little collection. I have no background in Chinese poetry, so I do not know how Susan’s translations of Li Yu’s work match up to other attempts, but her commentary really makes this work. The added context explains history, relationships, and linguistic turns of phrase that add dimension and richness to the text.

My copy includes a handwritten note from Susan in the front welcoming the original owner to Puck’s Gold. I don’t know whether it was a successful publishing venture, but there is something incredibly charming about this little collection of poetry published by the compiler, with its thoughtful calligraphy and slightly pixelated reliefs. I don’t feel like I see many works on this intimate a scale anymore. 4 stars.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Susan Wan Dolling’s excellent “A River in Springtime: My Story of Li Yu in Myth and Poetry” this morning. The imagery was exquisite and the construction of the poems was masterful. This was a delightful read.

I have only one problem with the book—its cover. The antique gold lettering on the spine and front cover all but disappear against the dark green of the background, making the lettering almost impossible to read. My public library compounded the problem by adding a thick plastic cover, which further obscures the words.

I fear this will mean that the book won’t be read as much as it should be, that only the curious reader who, like I, squints and asks, “What exactly is that?,” and pulls the book from the shelf to investigate its contents, will be rewarded with the riches it contains.