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Transformation: Poems by Zhao LiHong
From prolific award-winning poet and author Zhao Lihong comes an immersive collection of hauntingly beautiful poems exploring life and human nature’s beauty.
With his highly celebrated collection “Pain,” Zhao Lihong redefined modern Chinese poetry and captured audiences worldwide with its persistent, unrelenting, and affectionate style.
In his latest collection "Transformation," the multi-award-winning author brings new, powerful poems that offer a unique perspective on society, culture, family, and the self. After more than 50 years of writing, Lihong reflects on parts of his past and, using the classic, prosaic language that defines his work, manages to capture the essence of multiple generations.
After his last collection was translated into English, French, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian, Hungarian, Persian, Arabic, and Korean, "Transformation" offers readers a chance to experience 60 new poems for the first time. It is an introspective celebration of life, youth, and wisdom.
With his highly celebrated collection “Pain,” Zhao Lihong redefined modern Chinese poetry and captured audiences worldwide with its persistent, unrelenting, and affectionate style.
In his latest collection "Transformation," the multi-award-winning author brings new, powerful poems that offer a unique perspective on society, culture, family, and the self. After more than 50 years of writing, Lihong reflects on parts of his past and, using the classic, prosaic language that defines his work, manages to capture the essence of multiple generations.
After his last collection was translated into English, French, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian, Hungarian, Persian, Arabic, and Korean, "Transformation" offers readers a chance to experience 60 new poems for the first time. It is an introspective celebration of life, youth, and wisdom.
- GenresPoetry
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2023
18 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 18, 2025
A lovely collection of poems about the transitions that alter the direction of thoughts, feelings, and life itself. I like that the original Chinese characters and artwork for each poem were included with the translated poems. It added depth and food for thought about each poem.
April 14, 2023
‘I am life or is life what I am’ - radiant poetry now available in English
Chinese poet Zhao LiHong serves as director of the China Writers Association and teaches at Shanghai Jiaotong University while publishing the monthly Shanghai Literature and serving as editor-in-chief of Poet Magazine, winning awards globally for his numerous published books. His previous collection of his poems is PAINS and now he offers TRANSFORMATION, translated from the Chinese by Micah Cao. He has also written numerous novels and children’s books. The poems in this compilation date from 2019 to 2020, the final poem set, At Heaven’s Gate, is an epic overview of famous men at that final position of standing before the gate of Heaven - ‘Inside Heaven’s gate/ Hides an invisible sphinx/ Simple riddles, one after another/ Echo in the void/ But has the world’s wisest philosophers/ Stopping to listen/ Such a group of thinkers/ Speaking different languages/ meet at Heaven’s gates/ Trade awkward glances/ Unable to make progress/ Loiter outside for eons instead’ - and the minds are Laozi in search of his Dao, Aristotle, Qu Yuan, Dante, Nietzsche - and insights into their impact are offered.
The poems wisp their ways through many transformations of nature and ideology and the poet’s past, casting light on our human nature and existence. Interspersed among the poems are artful sketches with poems shared in Chinese characters - a factor that enhances the experience of reading this radiant collection. Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
Chinese poet Zhao LiHong serves as director of the China Writers Association and teaches at Shanghai Jiaotong University while publishing the monthly Shanghai Literature and serving as editor-in-chief of Poet Magazine, winning awards globally for his numerous published books. His previous collection of his poems is PAINS and now he offers TRANSFORMATION, translated from the Chinese by Micah Cao. He has also written numerous novels and children’s books. The poems in this compilation date from 2019 to 2020, the final poem set, At Heaven’s Gate, is an epic overview of famous men at that final position of standing before the gate of Heaven - ‘Inside Heaven’s gate/ Hides an invisible sphinx/ Simple riddles, one after another/ Echo in the void/ But has the world’s wisest philosophers/ Stopping to listen/ Such a group of thinkers/ Speaking different languages/ meet at Heaven’s gates/ Trade awkward glances/ Unable to make progress/ Loiter outside for eons instead’ - and the minds are Laozi in search of his Dao, Aristotle, Qu Yuan, Dante, Nietzsche - and insights into their impact are offered.
The poems wisp their ways through many transformations of nature and ideology and the poet’s past, casting light on our human nature and existence. Interspersed among the poems are artful sketches with poems shared in Chinese characters - a factor that enhances the experience of reading this radiant collection. Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
August 8, 2023
"In a world where you've departed from your hometown
You dream of celestial ascent
What sun will light your way?"
You dream of celestial ascent
What sun will light your way?"
June 29, 2024
A thought provoking book. One that had me thinking over the words spoken to figure out what they truly meant. Transformation indeed.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews