Kazuaki Tanahashi, Peter Levitt Complete Cold Mountain: Poems of the Legendary Hermit Hanshan

"The Hanshan ("Cold Mountain") poems are unquestionably the most enduring works to come out of the poetically rich Tang dynasty (seventh to early tenth century) of China. They entered modern Western consciousness though the influence of the Beat generation writers for whom they were a major influence, and they're rightfully known as some of the most accessible of classic Chinese poetry--the kind of poetry that speaks even to those who don't usually relate to poetry. They have been much translated. This new translation is unique both in its scope--it includes all the poems traditionally associated with Hanshan, more than 300--and in its tone: it is a collaboration between two renowned and very different poets and Zen students who honor the Buddhist elements of the verse while perceiving in the Cold Mountain poems a kind of humor and tenderness of heart that makes their renditions particularly delightful. The translation includes the full Chinese text of the poems, and a wealth of fascinating ancillary materials. This collection also stands out from the others in its organization: scholars often identify two different authors of the Cold Mountain poems, whereas Tanahashi and Levitt identify three poets from three different periods (Kaz explains why in a fascinating appendix), and they have arranged the poems accordingly"--
A fresh translation--and new envisioning--of the most accessible and beloved of all classic Chinese poetry.Welcome to the magical, windswept world of Cold Mountain. These poems from the literary riches of China have long been celebrated by cultures of both East and West—and continue to be revered as among the most inspiring and enduring works of poetry worldwide. This groundbreaking new translation presents the full corpus of poetry traditionally associated with Hanshan (“Cold Mountain”) and sheds light on its origins and authorship like never before. Kazuaki Tanahashi and Peter Levitt honor the contemplative Buddhist elements of this classic collection of poems while revealing Hanshan’s famously jubilant humor, deep love of solitude in nature, and overwhelming warmth of heart. In addition, this translation features the full Chinese text of the original poems and a wealth of fascinating supplements, including traditional historical records, an in-depth study of the Cold Mountain poets (here presented as three distinct authors), and more.