What do you think?
Rate this book
Du Fu: A Life in Poetry
Du Fu (712–770) is one of the undisputed geniuses of Chinese poetry—still universally admired and read thirteen centuries after his death. Now David Young, author of Black Lab, and well known as a translator of Chinese poets, gives us a sparkling new translation of Du Fu’s verse, arranged to give us a tour of the life, each “chapter” of poems preceded by an introductory paragraph that situates us in place, time, and circumstance. What emerges is a portrait of a modest yet great artist, an ordinary man moving and adjusting as he must in troubled times, while creating a startling, timeless body of work.
Du Fu wrote poems that engaged his contemporaries and widened the path of the lyric poet. As his society—one of the world’s great civilizations—slipped from a golden age into chaos, he wrote of the uncertain course of empire, the misfortunes and pleasures of his own family, the hard lives of ordinary people, the changing seasons, and the lives of creatures who shared his environment. As the poet chases chickens around the yard, observes tear streaks on his wife’s cheek, or receives a gift of some shallots from a neighbor, Young’s rendering brings Du Fu’s voice naturally and elegantly to life.
I sing what comes to me
in ways both old and modern
my only audience right now—
nearby bushes and trees
elegant houses stand
in an elegant row, too many
if my heart turns to ashes
then that’s all right with me . . .
from “Meandering River”
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Du Fu wrote poems that engaged his contemporaries and widened the path of the lyric poet. As his society—one of the world’s great civilizations—slipped from a golden age into chaos, he wrote of the uncertain course of empire, the misfortunes and pleasures of his own family, the hard lives of ordinary people, the changing seasons, and the lives of creatures who shared his environment. As the poet chases chickens around the yard, observes tear streaks on his wife’s cheek, or receives a gift of some shallots from a neighbor, Young’s rendering brings Du Fu’s voice naturally and elegantly to life.
I sing what comes to me
in ways both old and modern
my only audience right now—
nearby bushes and trees
elegant houses stand
in an elegant row, too many
if my heart turns to ashes
then that’s all right with me . . .
from “Meandering River”
From the Trade Paperback edition.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2013
44 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
About the author
Du Fu
113 books60 followersDu Fu (Chinese: 杜甫, 712–770) was one of China's greatest poets and a central figure in the literary tradition of the Tang dynasty, often hailed as the "Poet Sage" (詩聖) for his moral integrity and the depth of his work. His poetry, numbering over 1,400 surviving pieces, captures the essence of his turbulent era, blending historical insight, personal struggle, and a deep concern for humanity.
Born into a scholarly family, Du Fu was well-educated in the Confucian classics and aspired to a government career. However, his attempts to gain a stable official position were largely unsuccessful. He experienced firsthand the chaos of the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763), which devastated the Tang empire, displacing millions and leading to widespread suffering. These events profoundly shaped his poetry, turning his work into a powerful chronicle of war, political corruption, and the hardships faced by common people.
Unlike his contemporary Li Bai, whose poetry often embraced spontaneity and romanticism, Du Fu’s verse is marked by realism, technical precision, and a strong sense of moral duty. His ability to fuse personal emotion with historical narrative made his work deeply moving and enduring. Themes of exile, poverty, and loyalty pervade his later poetry, as he spent much of his life wandering in hardship, struggling with illness and poverty.
Though largely unrecognized in his lifetime, Du Fu's influence grew over the centuries. Later generations admired his ability to elevate poetry into a form of social commentary, and he became a defining figure in classical Chinese literature. Today, his works continue to be studied and celebrated, both in China and worldwide, for their timeless wisdom, humanistic perspective, and artistic brilliance.
Born into a scholarly family, Du Fu was well-educated in the Confucian classics and aspired to a government career. However, his attempts to gain a stable official position were largely unsuccessful. He experienced firsthand the chaos of the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763), which devastated the Tang empire, displacing millions and leading to widespread suffering. These events profoundly shaped his poetry, turning his work into a powerful chronicle of war, political corruption, and the hardships faced by common people.
Unlike his contemporary Li Bai, whose poetry often embraced spontaneity and romanticism, Du Fu’s verse is marked by realism, technical precision, and a strong sense of moral duty. His ability to fuse personal emotion with historical narrative made his work deeply moving and enduring. Themes of exile, poverty, and loyalty pervade his later poetry, as he spent much of his life wandering in hardship, struggling with illness and poverty.
Though largely unrecognized in his lifetime, Du Fu's influence grew over the centuries. Later generations admired his ability to elevate poetry into a form of social commentary, and he became a defining figure in classical Chinese literature. Today, his works continue to be studied and celebrated, both in China and worldwide, for their timeless wisdom, humanistic perspective, and artistic brilliance.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 12, 2009
I really appreciate how Du Fu writes about getting drunk. A lot.
July 8, 2010
Like all the other Chinese scholars of his time, Du Fu aspired to serve the court in the country's vast bureaucracy. He was passed over again and again, and lived with his family in poverty for much of his life, intermittently relieved by the generosity of friends and patrons. The country's loss is poetry's gain. Du Fu might have written as much and as well if he were a high-ranking official (although that is very doubtful), but he would not have been as innovative in his subject matter.
Struggling with the various miseries of poverty, he gained a profound sympathy for the weak and helpless, and wrote wrenching poems about commoner families suffering from devastating warfare. Separated from his family in order to find work, he celebrated in verse the simple joys of playing with his son and watching chickens scratch in the backyard, when he was finally reunited with them. Equally new was his expression of romantic sentiments for his wife. Before Du Fu, feelings of affection were reserved, at least in poetry, for courtesans and male friends. But Du Fu wrote, in "Moonlight Night,":
Tonight
in this same moonlight
my wife is alone at her window
in Fuzhou
I can hardly bear
to think of my children
too young to understand
why I can't come to them
her hair
must be damp from the mist
her arms
cold jade in the moonlight
when will we stand together
by those slack curtains
while the moonlight dries
the tear-streaks on our faces?
The progression of ideas and images is utterly simple and convincing. "Slack curtains" is a masterly touch. It speaks of their financially straitened circumstance as well as their strong longing for reunion, but it does so in an image that gives the opposite impression of tension and strength.
David Young's unrhymed couplets, here and elsewhere in the book, capture very effectively the extensive use of parallelism and caesura in Chinese verse. The minimal punctuation--beginning with a capital letter and ending with a period or question mark--also evokes the openness and suggestiveness of Chinese poetry. Yet the translation reads like a successful English poem.
The translations are arranged in the book according to the chronology of the poet's life. The eleven section titles sum up its course: Early Years in the East, 737-744, Back at the Capital 745-750, War and Rebellion 750-755, Trapped in the Capital 756-758, Reunion and Recovery 758-759, On the Move 759, Thatched Cottage 759-762, More Disruptions 762-765, East to Kuizhou 765-766, The Gentleman Farmer 767-768, Last Days. Young introduces each section with a paragraph of biographical context that, read together with the poetry, gives the sense of a tumultous life.
Struggling with the various miseries of poverty, he gained a profound sympathy for the weak and helpless, and wrote wrenching poems about commoner families suffering from devastating warfare. Separated from his family in order to find work, he celebrated in verse the simple joys of playing with his son and watching chickens scratch in the backyard, when he was finally reunited with them. Equally new was his expression of romantic sentiments for his wife. Before Du Fu, feelings of affection were reserved, at least in poetry, for courtesans and male friends. But Du Fu wrote, in "Moonlight Night,":
Tonight
in this same moonlight
my wife is alone at her window
in Fuzhou
I can hardly bear
to think of my children
too young to understand
why I can't come to them
her hair
must be damp from the mist
her arms
cold jade in the moonlight
when will we stand together
by those slack curtains
while the moonlight dries
the tear-streaks on our faces?
The progression of ideas and images is utterly simple and convincing. "Slack curtains" is a masterly touch. It speaks of their financially straitened circumstance as well as their strong longing for reunion, but it does so in an image that gives the opposite impression of tension and strength.
David Young's unrhymed couplets, here and elsewhere in the book, capture very effectively the extensive use of parallelism and caesura in Chinese verse. The minimal punctuation--beginning with a capital letter and ending with a period or question mark--also evokes the openness and suggestiveness of Chinese poetry. Yet the translation reads like a successful English poem.
The translations are arranged in the book according to the chronology of the poet's life. The eleven section titles sum up its course: Early Years in the East, 737-744, Back at the Capital 745-750, War and Rebellion 750-755, Trapped in the Capital 756-758, Reunion and Recovery 758-759, On the Move 759, Thatched Cottage 759-762, More Disruptions 762-765, East to Kuizhou 765-766, The Gentleman Farmer 767-768, Last Days. Young introduces each section with a paragraph of biographical context that, read together with the poetry, gives the sense of a tumultous life.
February 15, 2017
This is one of my favorite volumes of Chinese poetry. I hold David Young in very high regard for his powers of rendering the observations and verse of figures from such great remove in such vital, lyrical, and lively English. I'm in no position to evaluate the accuracy of his renderings, but they feel to me like the immediate, vivid expressions of a soul living in troubled times, taking beauty where he could find it, and living life as fully as conditions allowed. Its a balm and an inspiration for anyone living in difficult times, and one of my cardinal reference points in literature for thinking about how to live - how, in Voltaire's words, the "cultivate your own garden," in the midst of the sorrows and disasters of history.
February 14, 2025
Gorgeous translations of gorgeous poems. Themes on war, nature, aging, friendship, politics, drinking, suffering, poverty, family, tranquility, and the absurdity of life. Honesty, empathy, humility, verbal dexterity, openness, and a keen for eye the present moment. The translator’s biographical annotations are wonderful.
April 30, 2018
รวมบทกวีของ Du Fu เรียงตามลำดับการเขียน พร้อมเกร็ดประวัติประกอบคำอธิบายแต่ละช่วงชีวิตว่า Du Fu กำลังประสบกับอะไรอยู่บ้าง
คุณ David Young ถอดความกลอน 170 บทมาเป็นภาษาอังกฤษได้สวยงาม อ่านแล้วเย็นใจ เป็นงานเขียนชนิดที่ไม่น่าเชื่อว่าจะทำออกมาเป็นรูปเล่มได้สมบูรณ์และงดงามได้ขนาดนี้
ออกตัวก่อนว่าเราไม่ใช่คนชอบอ่านกลอน ถ้าอ่านก็อ่านได้แค่กลอนเปล่าไร้ฉันทลักษณ์ ดังนั้น แทนที่เราจะตีค่าการอ่านงานเขียนเล่มนี้ในฐานะรวมบทกวีของ Du Fu ผู้เป็น 1 ใน 5 มหากวีแห่งราชวงศ์ถัง เรากลับอ่านมันในฐานะบันทึก(memoir) ของผู้ชายคนหนึ่ง คนธรรมดาที่มีชีวิตอยู่จริงเมื่อ 1300 ปีที่แล้ว
งานเขียนของ Du Fu มีความอมตะ ไร้กาลเวลา สมถะ อยู่กับธรรมชาติ ทุกข์ตรมกับสภาพชีวิตไม่สมหวังในการไต่เต้าตำแหน่งราชการ สุขกับมิตรภาพในมวลหมู่สหาย ร้าวรานกับศึกสงครามที่ไม่มีวันจบสิ้น แต่ยังไม่สิ้นศรัทธาในตัวมนุษย์
ถ้าสนใจเล่มนี้ ใน amazon มีต.ย. ให้อ่าน 5-6 บท จะเป็นงานช่วงวัยหนุ่ม แต่แค่นั้นก็เห็นความสามารถในการใช้ภาษาของ Du Fu แล้วล่ะว่าไม่ธรรมดาขนาดไหน ในตัวหนังสือแสนเรียบง่าย เต็มไปด้วยภาพเคลื่อนไหวในใจผู้อ่าน
อ่านซ้ำแน่นอน และกลับมาอ่านซ้ำได้ตลอดไป
คุณ David Young ถอดความกลอน 170 บทมาเป็นภาษาอังกฤษได้สวยงาม อ่านแล้วเย็นใจ เป็นงานเขียนชนิดที่ไม่น่าเชื่อว่าจะทำออกมาเป็นรูปเล่มได้สมบูรณ์และงดงามได้ขนาดนี้
ออกตัวก่อนว่าเราไม่ใช่คนชอบอ่านกลอน ถ้าอ่านก็อ่านได้แค่กลอนเปล่าไร้ฉันทลักษณ์ ดังนั้น แทนที่เราจะตีค่าการอ่านงานเขียนเล่มนี้ในฐานะรวมบทกวีของ Du Fu ผู้เป็น 1 ใน 5 มหากวีแห่งราชวงศ์ถัง เรากลับอ่านมันในฐานะบันทึก(memoir) ของผู้ชายคนหนึ่ง คนธรรมดาที่มีชีวิตอยู่จริงเมื่อ 1300 ปีที่แล้ว
งานเขียนของ Du Fu มีความอมตะ ไร้กาลเวลา สมถะ อยู่กับธรรมชาติ ทุกข์ตรมกับสภาพชีวิตไม่สมหวังในการไต่เต้าตำแหน่งราชการ สุขกับมิตรภาพในมวลหมู่สหาย ร้าวรานกับศึกสงครามที่ไม่มีวันจบสิ้น แต่ยังไม่สิ้นศรัทธาในตัวมนุษย์
ถ้าสนใจเล่มนี้ ใน amazon มีต.ย. ให้อ่าน 5-6 บท จะเป็นงานช่วงวัยหนุ่ม แต่แค่นั้นก็เห็นความสามารถในการใช้ภาษาของ Du Fu แล้วล่ะว่าไม่ธรรมดาขนาดไหน ในตัวหนังสือแสนเรียบง่าย เต็มไปด้วยภาพเคลื่อนไหวในใจผู้อ่าน
อ่านซ้ำแน่นอน และกลับมาอ่านซ้ำได้ตลอดไป
February 25, 2015
As a forewarning, I am not a scholar of Chinese literature. I have never studied it and I consider myself very ill-read (in all senses of the word) in all forms of Chinese literature. These are just my thoughts as a casual enthusiast of fiction and poetry in general, so they may be highly misinformed and lacking in insight.
With that said, this is my favorite translation of Du Fu's poems by far.
In the past, with previous translations, I found that the tone of his words did not match the subject matters in his poems, somehow.
But with Young, Du Fu has found a new voice--a more restrained, abstemious one--that resonates with his poetry more harmoniously than before.
If Du Fu's one distinction that separates him from the rest of his contemporaries is his connection with the non-aristocratic class, as Young notes, then much of what the previous translations seem to miss is that the language--or more specifically, diction--should reflect the portrayals of said common folk. The point is not to disparage their lack of formal education, but display the deceptively simple yet concise uses of everyday words. I feel that Young achieves this quite well.
It is also quite helpful to watch the poems "grow," as they've been arranged chronologically. A lot of his earlier poems are rather affected and conventional for his time, but as time progresses and his disposition changes, he flows into a much more composed and sincere voice.
I may never get to experience the full breadth of his poems in their original forms, but this highly intimate translation does a fine job of exploring a view at Du Fu like never before.
With that said, this is my favorite translation of Du Fu's poems by far.
In the past, with previous translations, I found that the tone of his words did not match the subject matters in his poems, somehow.
But with Young, Du Fu has found a new voice--a more restrained, abstemious one--that resonates with his poetry more harmoniously than before.
If Du Fu's one distinction that separates him from the rest of his contemporaries is his connection with the non-aristocratic class, as Young notes, then much of what the previous translations seem to miss is that the language--or more specifically, diction--should reflect the portrayals of said common folk. The point is not to disparage their lack of formal education, but display the deceptively simple yet concise uses of everyday words. I feel that Young achieves this quite well.
It is also quite helpful to watch the poems "grow," as they've been arranged chronologically. A lot of his earlier poems are rather affected and conventional for his time, but as time progresses and his disposition changes, he flows into a much more composed and sincere voice.
I may never get to experience the full breadth of his poems in their original forms, but this highly intimate translation does a fine job of exploring a view at Du Fu like never before.
August 1, 2011
David Young's chronologically arranged translations of 170 of Du Fu's poems, combined with his introductory notes to each new phase of the poet's life (from 737-770 CE), offer us excellent insights into both the man who wrote the poems and the poems that made the man world famous. Du Fu (or Tu Fu) was truly a man who suffered great losses in his life and who, as a consequence, developed great empathy for all of those who suffer, regardless of social class. This empathy emerges strongly, even in translation. Du Fu lived during a time of frequent war and he and his family suffered separation and sometimes great privation.
Unlike certain other T'ang Dynasty poets who successfully managed a life at court, Du Fu never succeeded in holding onto court favor for long. His poetry reflects his frequent travels, as he moved in search of opportunities, some of which never materialized, and none of which lasted for long. He frequently compares himself to thistledown blown by the wind. His poems reflect his frequent anxiety, his yearning for the simpler life of a religious hermit, and his not wholly successful attempts to derive solace, at first from Confucianism, and later from Taoism.
I don't read Chinese, so I can't speak to the accuracy of Young's translations, though I understand that his versions are more than usually successful at revealing the technical brilliance of Du Fu's poems. Still, Young's versions strike me as a trifle flat. They are less vivid than either Kenneth Rexroth's or David Hinton's. Reading them in these English versions, it is sometimes difficult to understand why these poems are held in such high esteem by the Chinese, who consider Du Fu their greatest poet. Nonetheless, English readers can be grateful for this book of translations, which gives us a unique appreciation of the man behind the poems.
Unlike certain other T'ang Dynasty poets who successfully managed a life at court, Du Fu never succeeded in holding onto court favor for long. His poetry reflects his frequent travels, as he moved in search of opportunities, some of which never materialized, and none of which lasted for long. He frequently compares himself to thistledown blown by the wind. His poems reflect his frequent anxiety, his yearning for the simpler life of a religious hermit, and his not wholly successful attempts to derive solace, at first from Confucianism, and later from Taoism.
I don't read Chinese, so I can't speak to the accuracy of Young's translations, though I understand that his versions are more than usually successful at revealing the technical brilliance of Du Fu's poems. Still, Young's versions strike me as a trifle flat. They are less vivid than either Kenneth Rexroth's or David Hinton's. Reading them in these English versions, it is sometimes difficult to understand why these poems are held in such high esteem by the Chinese, who consider Du Fu their greatest poet. Nonetheless, English readers can be grateful for this book of translations, which gives us a unique appreciation of the man behind the poems.
December 22, 2016
I'm never a fan of older poetry. I appreciate it the same way I appreciate that someone's lewd act in the back of a wagon on a muddy pagan night brought us later generations of fill-in-the-blank. I take no joy in it itself. A substantive precursor, nothing more. I find the ancient Greek and Roman poets and, well, basically, everything up until the 19th century to be bland and fiercely unimaginative. How pleasantly surprising is this volume of Du Fu, 8th century poetic bad-ass! I love these poems. They seem simple and clever, but bear an economy of feeling and meaning that I'd sell my muddy wagon for. Even better, the translator arranged them chronologically and gives you neat little notes on Du Fu's life and meanderings through a turbulent period in China's history. Du Fuck yeah!
May 29, 2014
One of our sons studies Chinese, so for fun I recently pulled this volume from our shelves and we are reading a poem a night, after grace, just as we begin eating dinner. Who could be a better companion for our evenings than Du Fu (712 - 770)? That river-gazer, that wine connoisseur, that lute-player, friend, philosopher, observer-of-seasons. We marvel at the vitality of his voice, nearly 1300 years later. We're BIG Du Fu fans!
June 9, 2015
I learned about Du Fu from the "poem a day" email that I got during National Poetry Month. I really enjoyed this book - it's an excellent modern translation of poetry that still has a lot of relevance/resonance 1200+ years later, and the translator also does a great job of putting each poem in biographical context.
Want to read
July 5, 2014To Li Bai
Autumn again and you and I
are thistledown in the wind
we haven't found
what Ge Hong found--
the fabulous elixir
that makes a man immortal
I drink, I sing,
my days are passed in vain
poets are proud and disgraceful
and nobody knows quite why.
Autumn again and you and I
are thistledown in the wind
we haven't found
what Ge Hong found--
the fabulous elixir
that makes a man immortal
I drink, I sing,
my days are passed in vain
poets are proud and disgraceful
and nobody knows quite why.
March 10, 2024
Poetry from 8th Century China in a lovely edition with helpful notes and chapter introductions that give useful context. Du Fu writes autobiographical, observational verse in simple couplets with recurring themes of nature, his frustrated ambitions, his family, and history (uprisings and wars) annoyingly happening at him when he's trying to do something else. There is a light tone, good humour, effectively economic description and some surprisingly familiar concerns about colleagues, promotions, paperwork, home repairs, drinking too much wine and neighbours nicking fruit from his trees 200+ years before English Lit even gets around to drafting Beowulf...
Read
January 21, 2022these are nice poems :)
December 27, 2010
Whenever I read the poets of the T'ang, I slip into a kind of reverie, losing myself inside the poem. Nothing exotic about this; I suspect it happens to most readers, but it's still remarkable when you consider that these poems are generally only a few lines long. Maybe it helps to be past a certain age too: these are poems of maturity and their beauty is indissoluble from loss, sorrow, melancholy – the sense of moments passing, bereft to us, evoked by a moon shining in black water or the sound of rain falling in the night. And, I should add, the "crazy" aspect of being alive, the scrape of futility.
I laugh at myself—a madman
growing older, growing madder.
As a reader, I'd place Young's translations in the company of Burton Watson and David Hinton – although he mars his version of "Facing Snow" with the phrase "aging codger" – I can't picture codger belonging in any but a comic poem. My favorite translations (first love?) remain those of Kenneth Rexroth, who admittedly translates Du Fu's poems into his own, but still manages to convey their pure poetic otherness. The strength of this version is in its presentation - its sequence, exact commentary and unfussy, expressive phrasing. Here's Du Fu on New Year's Eve, drinking pepper wine:
my life has started to race
downhill, toward its evening
and what is the use of caution
the value of restraint?
better to put my cares aside
and just get drunk.
I laugh at myself—a madman
growing older, growing madder.
As a reader, I'd place Young's translations in the company of Burton Watson and David Hinton – although he mars his version of "Facing Snow" with the phrase "aging codger" – I can't picture codger belonging in any but a comic poem. My favorite translations (first love?) remain those of Kenneth Rexroth, who admittedly translates Du Fu's poems into his own, but still manages to convey their pure poetic otherness. The strength of this version is in its presentation - its sequence, exact commentary and unfussy, expressive phrasing. Here's Du Fu on New Year's Eve, drinking pepper wine:
my life has started to race
downhill, toward its evening
and what is the use of caution
the value of restraint?
better to put my cares aside
and just get drunk.
September 30, 2021
Reading the collection and living through the life of Du Fu with it was a beautiful, humbling experience. For me the poems were like a travel journal, a political account of a the great Tang empire falling into chaos, and a personal diary filled with ambition, self-irony, disappointment, sensibility to the life of others and admiration for nature.
Du Fu's work was for me like a window to China in this moment of history. I loved how he gave voices to the common people that suffered the political turmoils of this period, how he described the greatness of landscape and personalised nature, and above all how he gave voice to his internal intense life and kept going.
I really liked how the poemarium was organised. I know there are nuances lost in translation, but having a talk about it with a Chinese friend and comparing the English and Chinese versions of the poems gave me even more insights about the work.
Du Fu's work was for me like a window to China in this moment of history. I loved how he gave voices to the common people that suffered the political turmoils of this period, how he described the greatness of landscape and personalised nature, and above all how he gave voice to his internal intense life and kept going.
I really liked how the poemarium was organised. I know there are nuances lost in translation, but having a talk about it with a Chinese friend and comparing the English and Chinese versions of the poems gave me even more insights about the work.
March 10, 2013
Love those old Chinese poets, whose lives were so exotic that they talked about disappointments in career advancement and getting drunk, unlike the more sedate poetry of today. Some achingly lovely moments in this book. I don't speak or read Chinese, so I can't tell you f this is a good translation, but it's damned fine poetry.
April 12, 2022
When evaluating the impact of Tang era Chinese poetry in translation, it's hard for me to separate the poet and his poetry from the translator and his contribution. I do have an opinion of sorts (which I will dare to supply), but speaking first of my holistic take, I have to say that I found the collection as emotionally affecting as it is artistic, and I recommend it to any readers of poetry.
This collection is subtitled "A Life in Poetry," and it succeeds on that level, as a sort of biography. The poetry is organized according to the distinct periods in the author's life, and that is augmented with general biographical information about his career, his moves, and his family. This works well together, as the poet inserts himself in much of his poetry; the political situation, his family life, his career, and his circumstances in general are prominent in these verses. Unusually for his time (as I am informed) he writes about his wife and children and their lives, reflecting on the way his success and failures, his traveling, his uncertain health, his drinking, and his ambition impact his family.
Returning from a long posting away from home, he writes:
He often writes about his friends visiting, drinking wine, and discussing poetry, and he writes about his hikes along the rivers, visiting monasteries, and seeking the quiet of the wilderness. All of this is normal for the time and expected. But then he mentions a sister who he has not seen in years, and writes about brothers who he learns have survived a breakout of war far away, and then he's back to his wife and children, revealing their sorrows after their rising fortunes have fallen again:
The pictures he paints of good times and bad times--of a life more fortunate than most but still filled with grief and difficulty--is so human that the distance between us and him is erased. We follow his career ups and downs and watch him as he grows old, losing friends, seeing too many wars, living long enough to learn that everything good eventually is taken away, and our participation in that life is heartbreaking and comforting at once.
Du Fu shows a tendency toward liberal thought as he speaks up for the poor and their lot and describes the cruelty of war. He opposes the excess of the court, and he is so uncomfortably aware of his privileged state, even when passing through periods of poverty, that he connects more with the peasants in the country than the scholars and officials of his own class. A lot of his criticisms (surprising takes in a Confucianist society) could still be leveled at institutions today, which gives his poetry additional relevance.
As far as the translation, and I speak as an absolute amateur in every way, it is, IMO, good enough. I mean no criticism by this, or not much. If the language isn't exciting, it also doesn't go too far. I might have liked it more if reworked with a little more poetic license, but no doubt that would bother other readers, so--good enough. Comparing poems here with those found in another collection, I'd have to say that they are simpler here, with plainer language, and I was a little disappointed, I'll admit.
David Young's translation of "Song of the War Carts" in this volume:
have you seen how the bones from the past
lie bleached and uncollected near Black Lake?
the new ghosts moan, the old ghosts moan--
we hear them at night, hear them in the rain.
That's pretty awesome, but here are the same verses in a translation by Peter Harris:
Haven't you seen
By the shores of Kokonor Lake,
The white bones from of old
that no one's collected?
The new ghosts, they complain
and the old ghosts sob,
Gibbering in the wet rain
under a dull sky?
I find the second more compelling, I'll admit. But perhaps that translator's taken more license with the text. I'm not sure. Still, to repeat myself--the translation here is good enough, and maybe that's the best we can hope for. The poet shines through, 1200 years on. His life, his thoughts, his concerns and fears and beliefs, are a gift to us, presented in clear language, with enough contextual aids to make sense of it where it might be difficult. This allows us to make a human connection, which is the art Du Fu excelled at.
Recommended.
This collection is subtitled "A Life in Poetry," and it succeeds on that level, as a sort of biography. The poetry is organized according to the distinct periods in the author's life, and that is augmented with general biographical information about his career, his moves, and his family. This works well together, as the poet inserts himself in much of his poetry; the political situation, his family life, his career, and his circumstances in general are prominent in these verses. Unusually for his time (as I am informed) he writes about his wife and children and their lives, reflecting on the way his success and failures, his traveling, his uncertain health, his drinking, and his ambition impact his family.
Returning from a long posting away from home, he writes:
...thinking ahead to my wife
trying to cope with this weather
desperate to be with my family
I arrive at last to learn
my little son has died
probably from sheer hunger
and I stand and weep in the street
the neighbors crowd round me, weeping
my shame overwhelms me, a father
who couldn't feed his family...
He often writes about his friends visiting, drinking wine, and discussing poetry, and he writes about his hikes along the rivers, visiting monasteries, and seeking the quiet of the wilderness. All of this is normal for the time and expected. But then he mentions a sister who he has not seen in years, and writes about brothers who he learns have survived a breakout of war far away, and then he's back to his wife and children, revealing their sorrows after their rising fortunes have fallen again:
Well, now I'm coming home
from troubles of my own
and with my hair gone white
I wonder if they'll know me
here's my wife at last
wearing a much-patched dress
crying to see me here
sighing like wind in the pine trees
sobbing uncontrollably
like any tumbling brook
and here's my boy, all pale,
the jewel that crowns my life
he turns his back to me
ashamed of his own weeping
I see his dirty feet
he has no shoes or socks
and there are my two daughters
their clothes all patched as well
too small for them, with images
all crazy and mismatched
a dragon and a phoenix
turned upside down for mending...
The pictures he paints of good times and bad times--of a life more fortunate than most but still filled with grief and difficulty--is so human that the distance between us and him is erased. We follow his career ups and downs and watch him as he grows old, losing friends, seeing too many wars, living long enough to learn that everything good eventually is taken away, and our participation in that life is heartbreaking and comforting at once.
Du Fu shows a tendency toward liberal thought as he speaks up for the poor and their lot and describes the cruelty of war. He opposes the excess of the court, and he is so uncomfortably aware of his privileged state, even when passing through periods of poverty, that he connects more with the peasants in the country than the scholars and officials of his own class. A lot of his criticisms (surprising takes in a Confucianist society) could still be leveled at institutions today, which gives his poetry additional relevance.
As far as the translation, and I speak as an absolute amateur in every way, it is, IMO, good enough. I mean no criticism by this, or not much. If the language isn't exciting, it also doesn't go too far. I might have liked it more if reworked with a little more poetic license, but no doubt that would bother other readers, so--good enough. Comparing poems here with those found in another collection, I'd have to say that they are simpler here, with plainer language, and I was a little disappointed, I'll admit.
David Young's translation of "Song of the War Carts" in this volume:
have you seen how the bones from the past
lie bleached and uncollected near Black Lake?
the new ghosts moan, the old ghosts moan--
we hear them at night, hear them in the rain.
That's pretty awesome, but here are the same verses in a translation by Peter Harris:
Haven't you seen
By the shores of Kokonor Lake,
The white bones from of old
that no one's collected?
The new ghosts, they complain
and the old ghosts sob,
Gibbering in the wet rain
under a dull sky?
I find the second more compelling, I'll admit. But perhaps that translator's taken more license with the text. I'm not sure. Still, to repeat myself--the translation here is good enough, and maybe that's the best we can hope for. The poet shines through, 1200 years on. His life, his thoughts, his concerns and fears and beliefs, are a gift to us, presented in clear language, with enough contextual aids to make sense of it where it might be difficult. This allows us to make a human connection, which is the art Du Fu excelled at.
Recommended.
June 9, 2009
A noble effort to present Du Fu as China's most important poet to contemporary English readers. Unfortunately it left me with a sense of: I guess you had to be there. I remained solidly in 21st century.
November 17, 2018
A must-read volume for every poet or lover of poetry. Du Fu (China, AD 712 to 770) was the world's iconic poet of lyricism and humanism, writing during humanity's golden age of poetry. These translations are a labor of love.
September 9, 2012
From translations of Du Fu's poetry, Young creates a "life" of this T'ang Dynasty poet.
July 5, 2017
A wonderful introduction to the work of Du Fu. The introduction, acknowledgments, and notes are every bit as engrossing as the poems and they make me hungry to learn more.
May 3, 2021
For those who think time travel isn’t possible, I recommend reading a modern translation of an ancient text. When done correctly, as in David Young’s translation of
Du Fu: A Life In Poetry
, books transport us through time and place us to ancient, almost forgotten, lands and make us feel like we are there, sitting beneath a sea of stars, listening to the music of crickets.
Perhaps it’s because that experience is not so distant from us. We, too, marvel at the simple beauty of nature and the mysterious expanse of the universe. We feel longing, disappointment and we suffer, just like Du Fu. To read the thoughts of someone from 1300 years ago and have those thoughts resonate with us is nothing short of magical. Though the places have foreign names, the sentiments are universal.
Perhaps it’s because that experience is not so distant from us. We, too, marvel at the simple beauty of nature and the mysterious expanse of the universe. We feel longing, disappointment and we suffer, just like Du Fu. To read the thoughts of someone from 1300 years ago and have those thoughts resonate with us is nothing short of magical. Though the places have foreign names, the sentiments are universal.
There is still a mild fear that
We will have another thunderstorm
Who knows what kind of future
Providence has in store?
Youth gives way as it must
To the realities of age
Joy and sadness take turns
In a dance we don’t control.
February 21, 2024
I didn't follow any discipline
I had no master plan
I've liked a peaceful life
quiet has meant the most
a wise man's taut as a bowstring
so they say
a foolish man is crooked
either that or wicked
I don't know if I'm taut or crooked
and won't pursue the matter
perhaps I'm some of both
I'll warm my back here in the sun
and wait to greet them, coming home,
the herders and the woodcutters.
I had no master plan
I've liked a peaceful life
quiet has meant the most
a wise man's taut as a bowstring
so they say
a foolish man is crooked
either that or wicked
I don't know if I'm taut or crooked
and won't pursue the matter
perhaps I'm some of both
I'll warm my back here in the sun
and wait to greet them, coming home,
the herders and the woodcutters.
July 8, 2025
My favorite book I've read so far this year. I enjoyed Mr Young's notes on his translation choices and his short explonations on Du Fu's life. It's a fantastic translation, Du Fu is a wonderful And evocative poet.
"I do not want to stay
I do not want to go
I find solace watching the birds
Between the branches"
"I do not want to stay
I do not want to go
I find solace watching the birds
Between the branches"
March 17, 2020
When I read Du Fu, it makes my head spin. He lived 1300 years ago, in a context so different from our own that it might as well have been a different planet, yet he feels the same fear, the same love, happiness, the same anxiety, that we do.
March 7, 2024
completely understand how difficult it is to translate chinese poetry into english, but these translations have.. urm... not only thrown the poems' lyrical & rhetorical flair into the wind (still tolerable) but also read in an uncomfortably stilted way (NOT tolerable)...... pick a struggle i think
February 28, 2020
A pitilessly literal and un-poetic translation of a great poet -- in English, stick with Bynner or Hinton.
June 1, 2023
Beautiful poems arising from a very difficult life. Effectively presented by the translator and editor.
Strongly recommended.
Strongly recommended.
July 19, 2025
beautiful, beautiful poetry. Du Fu's descriptions of nature (especially his constant allusions to morning dew) were lovely, but I was most moved by the poems to and about other people. His friends (the post li bai) and his brothers especially.
here is one; my favorite --
Here in my study
I've spent the day alone.
all day my thoughts
keep coming back to you
I ponder
our splendid friendship
and the excellence
of all your songs and poems
it's cold and windy here
my clothes are fairly shabby
I know that you're still out there
searching for that elixir
I'd like to get up from this desk
and set out to visit you
remember how we thought
we could be fellow hermits?
here is one; my favorite --
Here in my study
I've spent the day alone.
all day my thoughts
keep coming back to you
I ponder
our splendid friendship
and the excellence
of all your songs and poems
it's cold and windy here
my clothes are fairly shabby
I know that you're still out there
searching for that elixir
I'd like to get up from this desk
and set out to visit you
remember how we thought
we could be fellow hermits?
March 26, 2020
Excellent poems, notes, and translation.
It is augmented by the insightful footnotes.
It is augmented by the insightful footnotes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews