PAUL KING: All of you who have been lately in China must be struck
with the extraordinary difference between the China described in these
poems and the China which has come into being since the revolution.
with the extraordinary difference between the China described in these
poems and the China which has come into being since the revolution.
Li Po
I have often
thought that Chinese poets are very limited in their range. They
seem to be deficient in the quality of imagination. China has never
produced a great epic poem. Of course I speak subject to correction,
but I believe I am right in saying that China has never produced a
poet comparable with Homer, Dante, Virgil, or Milton. There has been
no one born with the power of telling a story like Homer. The poets of
China appear to me to be emotional and descriptive, but incapable of
any high flights of imagination. I think that Macaulay says that great
flights of imagination are peculiar to the early periods of a nation's
civilization, and that story-telling reaches its highest form as an art
before printing has been much in vogue.
Mr. M. F. A. FRASER: I have listened to this lecture with the greatest
interest. The English was particularly pleasing, and I am glad that the
lecturer has broken away from the old custom of seeking rhymes, and
followed the French custom in the translation of these poems. A man
may be an excellent writer and translator, and not be a poet, but to
translate foreign poetry into English considerable literary gifts are
required.
Mr.
PAUL KING: All of you who have been lately in China must be struck
with the extraordinary difference between the China described in these
poems and the China which has come into being since the revolution.
Ideas of a very practical nature have now taken possession of the
people. And then, what about modern Chinese poets? Do any of us know
of any? In my intercourse with the Chinese I cannot recall a modern
Chinese who was a poet. It is possible that I may have met one, and
that he concealed his poetic gifts. (Laughter. ) Our lecturer tells us,
however, that he knows certain Chinese poets. It would be interesting
to know if they are publishing their poems, and how they would compare
with the work of the older poets in our possession.
Mr. L. Y. CHEN: I should like to join in congratulating Mr. Waley on
his very learned paper and beautiful translations. It is quite true
that there are no epic poems in Chinese literature. This form of poetry
has not been introduced in China, but I differ with your statement,
Sir, that Chinese poetry lacks imagination.
thought that Chinese poets are very limited in their range. They
seem to be deficient in the quality of imagination. China has never
produced a great epic poem. Of course I speak subject to correction,
but I believe I am right in saying that China has never produced a
poet comparable with Homer, Dante, Virgil, or Milton. There has been
no one born with the power of telling a story like Homer. The poets of
China appear to me to be emotional and descriptive, but incapable of
any high flights of imagination. I think that Macaulay says that great
flights of imagination are peculiar to the early periods of a nation's
civilization, and that story-telling reaches its highest form as an art
before printing has been much in vogue.
Mr. M. F. A. FRASER: I have listened to this lecture with the greatest
interest. The English was particularly pleasing, and I am glad that the
lecturer has broken away from the old custom of seeking rhymes, and
followed the French custom in the translation of these poems. A man
may be an excellent writer and translator, and not be a poet, but to
translate foreign poetry into English considerable literary gifts are
required.
Mr.
PAUL KING: All of you who have been lately in China must be struck
with the extraordinary difference between the China described in these
poems and the China which has come into being since the revolution.
Ideas of a very practical nature have now taken possession of the
people. And then, what about modern Chinese poets? Do any of us know
of any? In my intercourse with the Chinese I cannot recall a modern
Chinese who was a poet. It is possible that I may have met one, and
that he concealed his poetic gifts. (Laughter. ) Our lecturer tells us,
however, that he knows certain Chinese poets. It would be interesting
to know if they are publishing their poems, and how they would compare
with the work of the older poets in our possession.
Mr. L. Y. CHEN: I should like to join in congratulating Mr. Waley on
his very learned paper and beautiful translations. It is quite true
that there are no epic poems in Chinese literature. This form of poetry
has not been introduced in China, but I differ with your statement,
Sir, that Chinese poetry lacks imagination.
