The Life and Times of Po Chu-i

250 Pages·1970·17.06 MB·English

by  Arthur Waley

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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF
PO CHti-I
by ARTHUR WALEY
THIRD IMPRESSION
Mr. Waley here gives the biographical background to the
many poems of Po Chu-i 772-846) that he has
(a.d.
translated in previous books, and traces the connection
between his literary career and the disturbed political
life of the time. This is the first full biography of a
Chinese poet to appear in English (Mrs. Ayscough’s Tu Fu
was rather a chronological anthology) and the first study
of life and politics in ninth-century China.
Mr. Waley gives also translations in whole or in part
of about a hundred new poems by Po Chu-i. In addition
to a biographical and critical work of the highest scholar¬
ship we have in this volume another considerable body
of translations by one of the greatest living sinologues.
‘This period is richly documented in Chinese history and literature.
But the profusion of material, even supposing it were easy of access,
might deter a less able scholar than Mr. Waley. To him we are now
indebted for the first historical biography of Po Chu-i. With one
exception, it is the first of any Chinese poet. But this book is more.
It is a social history of the early ninth century in China, though
history in a delectable form, for Mr. Waley has a felicitous style,
which conceals most careful scholarship.’ Manchester guardian
‘Although the book bears all the evidence of long and careful
research, the general reader need not fear to find this obstrusive. Those
who are prepared to ignore the few footnotes, the additional notes
and the references, can still gain a satisfying picture of a vital period
of a dynasty which has hitherto been known too generally to the
West as “the Golden T’ang.” ’ times literary supplement
‘I have most enjoyed Mr. Waley’s book, its integrity and the care
with which it has been put together. It will provide the general
reader to whom it is addressed with a clear and exact notion of
K o/-chou
China when it was the most civilized place in the world. Nowhere
else can so much information be obtained about life in the T’ang
Dynasty.’ maurice collis in time and tide
The Life and Times of Po Chu-i
Arthur Waley
George Allen and Unwin Ltd
PRICE NET
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BOSTON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF
PO CHU-I
Translations by Arthur Waley
CHINESE POEMS
MONKEY
THREE WAYS OF THOUGHT IN ANCIENT CHINA
THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS
THE BOOK OF SONGS
THE WAY AND ITS POWER
THE TALE OF GENJI
by Lady Murasaki
comprising:
The Tale of Genji
The Sacred Tree
The Wreath of Cloud
Blue Trousers
The Lady of the Boat
The Bridge of Dreams
THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN
THE TEMPLE AND OTHER POEMS
MORE TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CHINESE
THE PILLOW-BOOK OF SEI-SHONAGON
POETRY AND CAREER OF LI PO
THE REAL TRIPITAKA
BALLADS AND STORIES FROM TUN-HUANG
NINE SONGS
THE OPIUM WAR THROUGH CHINESE EYES
THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE MONGOLS
YUAN M El
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2018 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation
https://archive.org/details/lifetimesofpochuOOarth

ARTHUR WALEY
THE LIFE AND TIMES
OF
PO CHti-I
772-846
A.D.
LONDON
GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD
RUSKIN HOUSE MUSEUM STREET
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1949
SECOND IMPRESSION I9£I
THIRD IMPRESSION 1970
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
All rights reserved. Apart jrom any jair dealing jor
the purpose oj private study, research, criticism or
review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, 19561
no part oj this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical,
mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission oj the copy¬
right owner. Enquiries should be addressed to the
Publishers.
ISBN o 049^1011 8
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
in 13 point Perpetua type
BY OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY BY-, BILLING AND SONS LTD
GUILDFORD AND LONDON
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY