Nineteen Ways of Looking at Nineteen Ways of Looking at Wang WeiWang Wei

By Ryan Chapin, Kristen Kirchhoff, Kaitlyn Herman, and Jungjik Park

Background Information on the Background Information on the Infamous Wang Wei:Infamous Wang Wei:

• • 8th century Tang dynasty poet, painter, and government 8th century Tang dynasty poet, painter, and government official official

• • Born in 699 in P'u-chou (the present Fen-Born in 699 in P'u-chou (the present Fen-yang county in Shansi Province)yang county in Shansi Province)

• • In 719, was awarded the highest degree in the In 719, was awarded the highest degree in the examination system, the chin-shih and became Assistant examination system, the chin-shih and became Assistant Secretary for MusicSecretary for Music

• • By the time of his death in 759, he By the time of his death in 759, he directed directed the administration of 12 departments in the ministries of the administration of 12 departments in the ministries of war, justice, and workswar, justice, and works

• • After the death of his wife and mother, he withdrew After the death of his wife and mother, he withdrew from public society to the solace of his country home at from public society to the solace of his country home at Lan-t'ien along the Wang River. There he often wrote and Lan-t'ien along the Wang River. There he often wrote and painted.painted.

Wang Wei’s “Deer Park”:Wang Wei’s “Deer Park”:

Importance of Imagery in Chinese Importance of Imagery in Chinese PoetryPoetry

• Classical Chinese poetry has no general Classical Chinese poetry has no general accepted interpretation. accepted interpretation.

• It’s a common practice that the images are It’s a common practice that the images are always associated with imagery in classical always associated with imagery in classical Chinese poetry.Chinese poetry.

• Since Chinese ancient poetry is famous for Since Chinese ancient poetry is famous for being productive of images, the rendering of being productive of images, the rendering of images becomes the vital point in the images becomes the vital point in the translation of classical Chinese poetry.translation of classical Chinese poetry.

Deep Forest HermitageDeep Forest Hermitage

En la Ermita del Parque de los VenadosEn la Ermita del Parque de los Venados

No se ve gente en este monte.No se ve gente en este monte.Solo se oyen, lejos, voces.Solo se oyen, lejos, voces.Por los ramajes la luz rompePor los ramajes la luz rompeTendida entre la yerba brilla verde.Tendida entre la yerba brilla verde.

-Octavio Paz, 1974-Octavio Paz, 1974

Empty mountains:

no one to be seen.

Yet-hear-

human sounds and echoes.

Returning sunlight

enters the dark woods;

Again shining

on the green moss, above.

-Gary Snyder, 1978

The Form of the DeerThe Form of the Deer

So lone seem the hills; there is no one in sight there.So lone seem the hills; there is no one in sight there.

But whence is the echo of voices I hear?But whence is the echo of voices I hear?

The rays of the sunset pierce slanting the forest,The rays of the sunset pierce slanting the forest,

And in their reflection green mosses appear.And in their reflection green mosses appear.

-W.J.B. Fletcher, 1919-W.J.B. Fletcher, 1919

•http://www.linguist.org.cn/doc/uc200703/uc20070310.pdfhttp://www.linguist.org.cn/doc/uc200703/uc20070310.pdf

• http://www.textetc.com/workshop/wt-wang-wei-1.htmlhttp://www.textetc.com/workshop/wt-wang-wei-1.html