The Poetry of Ruan Ji and Xi Kang

Stephen Owen; Wendy Swartz

Open Access Published by De Gruyter Mouton 2017

The Poetry of Ruan Ji and Xi Kang

Stephen Owen and Wendy Swartz
Edited by: Ding Xiang Warner and Xiaofei Tian
Funded by: The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

In the series Library of Chinese Humanities

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501503870

Overview
Contents

About this book

The poetry of Ruan Ji has been previously translated several times, with one fully scholarly translation of both the poetry and the Fu (poetic expositions). The present translation not only provides a facing page critical Chinese text, it addresses two problems that have been ignored or not adequately treated in earlier works. First, it traces the history of the current text. The rather serious problems with this text will be, if not soluble, at least visible. Second, translations have been shaped by the anachronistic assumption that Ruan Ji was loyal to the declining Wei dynasty, when actual power had been taken by the Suma family, who founded the Jin dynasty after Ruan Ji's death. The introduction shows how and when that assumption took full shape five centuries after Ruan Ji lived and why it is not tenable. This leads to a different kind of translation, closer to what a contemporary reader might have understood and far less certain than referring it to some political event.

The Poetry of Xi Kang presents a complete scholarly translation of his poetic works (including "Rhapsody on the Zither") alongside the original texts. Many of Xi Kang's poems are difficult and most are laden with allusions and quotations, adding another level of challenge to interpretation. Basic explanatory notes are provided.

The translations are based on the critical modern edition of Xi Kang's work by Dai Mingyang, generally considered to be the best edition available. Important editions by Lu Xun and Lu Qinli are consulted on matters of variants, arrangement, and interpretation.

Author / Editor information

Stephen Owen, Harvard University; Wendy Swartz, Rutgers University.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Table of Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Part 1: The Poetry of Ruan Ji (210–263) Open Access Download PDF	1
Introduction Open Access Download PDF	3
Singing My Cares Open Access Download PDF	26
The Poetic Expositions ( fu) Open Access Download PDF	146
Abbreviations Open Access Download PDF	214
Additional Notes Open Access Download PDF	216
Part 2: The Poetry of Xi Kang (ca. 223 – ca. 262) Open Access Download PDF	253
Introduction Open Access Download PDF	255
Poems Open Access Download PDF	266
Additional Notes Open Access Download PDF	396
Modern Editions Cited Open Access Download PDF	406

(Deutsch)

Languages: Chinese, English
Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
Audience: All those interest in early medieval Chinese literature and culture
Pages
- Front matter: 6
- Main content: 406
Keywords: Ruan Ji; Xi Kang; Early Medieval Chinese Poetry; Chinese Literature

eBook

Published: July 10, 2017
ISBN: 9781501503870

Hardcover

Published: July 10, 2017
ISBN: 9781501511851