Li Po (AD 701-62) and Tu Fu (AD 712-70) were devoted friends who are traditionally considered to be among China’s greatest poets. Li Po, a legendary carouser, was an itinerant poet whose writing, often dream poems or spirit-journeys, soars to sublime heights in its descriptions of natural scenes and powerful emotions. His sheer escapism and joy is balanced by Tu Fu, who expresses the Confucian virtues of humanity and humility in more autobiographical works that are imbued with great compassion and earthy reality, and shot through with humour. Together these two poets of the T’ang dynasty complement each other so well that they often came to be spoken of as one - ’Li-Tu’ - who covers the whole spectrum of human life, experience and feeling.

Li Po (AD 701-62) and Tu Fu (AD 712-70) were devoted friends who are traditionally considered to be among China’s greatest poets. Li Po, a legendary carouser, was an itinerant poet whose writing, often dream poems or spirit-journeys, soars to sublime heights in its descriptions of natural scenes and powerful emotions. His sheer escapism and joy is balanced by Tu Fu, who expresses the Confucian virtues of humanity and humility in more autobiographical works that are imbued with great compassion and earthy reality, and shot through with humour. Together these two poets of the T’ang dynasty complement each other so well that they often came to be spoken of as one - ’Li-Tu’ - who covers the whole spectrum of human life, experience and feeling.

Arthur Cooper’s translations are accompanied by an introduction in which he discusses the lives and times of Li Po and Tu Fu, and the spiritual, social and aesthetic background to their poems. This edition also includes calligraphy by Shui Chien-tung and a guide to Chinese pronunciation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PRONUNCIATION OF CHINESE WORDS AND NAMES

NOTE ON THE CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

1. 'Li-Tu'

2. The Background to their Times

3. Li Po

4. TuFu

5. The Background to T'ang Poetry: The Beginnings: The 'Book of Odes', The Language and Script

6. The Background to T'ang Poetry: The Ch'u Tz' u

7. The Background to T'ang Poetry: The Ballads and the Principles of Chinese Syllabic Metre

8. A Demonstration by Ballad

9. The Approach to Translation in this Book

10. The Tones and the 'Chinese Sonnet'

11. Reading the Poems in English

LI PO

TU FU

LIST OF TITLES

INDEX OF FIRST LINES