Classic Chinese Poems of Mourning and Texts of Lament by Victor H Mair

Classic Chinese Poems of Mourning and Texts of Lament by Victor H Mair

Bathed with the blood and tears of countless poets and authors and naturally expressing the most heartfelt emotions of ancient peoples, poems of mourning and texts of lament stand out in classical Chinese literature as brilliant and unique. Composed and celebrated over 3000 years, they are central to the Chinese literary tradition but have been largely unknown to English readers.

Including over 100 major pieces by leading literary figures from 800 BCE – 1800, this is the first English anthology of classic Chinese poems of mourning and texts of sacrificial offering. With annotated translations by leading scholars and reading guides accompanying each piece, this book reveals a powerful literary heritage to students and serious readers of Chinese literature, history and civilization.

Mair and Zhang offer here the first study of traditional Chinese poems of mourning and prose laments of the deadThe 120 selections have been carefully chosen and accurately rendered by some of the best translators in the field. The book will appeal to students of Chinese literature and religion, among others. * William H. Nienhauser, Jr., University of Wisconsin, USA *
A generous sampling from the vast body of efforts to find the right words to convey deep grief. In a variety of literary forms, writers here mourn the deaths of loved ones, show respect for lost friends and colleagues, and lament historical figures and ruined sites that are no more. Unprecedented in scope, this singular collection conveys the profound feelings of mourning, yearning, and even anguish over personal loss by many of China’s finest writers of nearly three millennia. This collection allows a deep understanding of what moved these many writers most profoundly and how they struggled to verbalize their emotions. * Robert E. Hegel, Washington University in St. Louis, USA *

Victor H. Mair is Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. He is the co-editor of Ming Dynasty Tales: A Guided Reader (Bloomsbury, 2022).

Zhenjun Zhang is Professor and Coordinator of Asian Studies Program at St. Lawrence University, USA. He is the co-editor of Ming Dynasty Tales: A Guided Reader (Bloomsbury, 2022).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781350337213
ISBN 10	1350337218
Title	Classic Chinese Poems of Mourning and Texts of Lament
Author	Victor H Mair
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Year published	2024-05-30
Number of pages	264
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.