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Poesia e Prosa
Haverá provavelmente uma afirmação que se pode fazer sem correr grandes riscos, a de que Tao Yuanming (365-427), ou Tao Qian, ou Tao Ch’ien, é o mais aclamado poeta chinês anterior à grande época poética da História da China que foi o período da Dinastia Tang. É um dado adquirido que entre os séculos VII e X (618-907) a China conheceu o apogeu de uma tradição poética que contudo possuía já todos os seus alicerces, sendo um deles, sem dúvida, Tao Yuanming. Este livro apresenta-nos uma pequena antologia de um dos grandes clássicos da literatura chinesa, com introdução e versões portuguesas de Manuel Afonso Costa.
112 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
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About the author
Tao Yuanming
30 books20 followersTao Qian, also known as Tao Yuanming, was a Chinese poet of the Six Dynasties period and is generally regarded as the greatest poet during the centuries between the Han and Tang dynasties. He is also the foremost of China's "recluse" poets, or the poets who seem to have written their greatest work while in reclusion and/or those poets in whose poems the theme of countryside solitude particularly resonates.
In Tao Qian's poems can be found superlative examples of the theme which urges its audience to drop out of official life, move to the country, and take up a cultivated life of wine, poetry, and avoiding people with whom friendship would be unsuitable, but in Tao's case this went along with actually engaging in farming. Tao's poetry also shows an inclination to fulfilment of duty, such as feeding his family. Tao's simple and plain style of expression, reflecting his back-to-basics lifestyle, first became better known as he achieved local fame as a hermit. This was followed gradually by recognition in major anthologies. By the Tang Dynasty, Tao was elevated to greatness as a poet's poet, revered by Li Bai and Du Fu.
Han poetry foreshadowed some of Tao's particular symbolism and the general "returning home to the country" theme, but his poems, prose and style broke new ground and became a fondly relied upon historical landmark. Much subsequent Chinese painting and literature would require no more than the mention or image of chrysanthemums by the eastern fence to call to mind Tao's life and poetry. Later, his poetry and the particular motifs which Tao exemplified would prove to importantly influence the innovations of Beat poetry and the 1960s poetry of the United States and Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 14, 2014
T’ao Ch’ien is the granddaddy of Chinese dropout poets; dropping out not for political reasons, or as any kind of protest, but rather because he couldn’t tolerate court and office life; preferring poverty and subsistence farming amid the Great Transformation to unsettled ambition and material abundance.
Dropping out and moving with his family (wife and two or three kids) to a small house in the 5th century boondocks allowed him direct access to the great Earth’s multitudinous processes of change, an ancient concept dubbed “the Great Transformation”, which coupled with a personal philosophy of letting everything come as it may provided him with - (not happiness exactly) - a nearly transcendent inner freedom. To assist himself in the settled waiting required to tap into these processes, he drank wine, and wrote about drinking wine while drinking wine. He loved his wine! But as the introduction makes clear, he typically drank just enough to “loosen up” and break down habits of mind. Many of his poems were obviously begun with no fixed intention of where they would end up; a characteristic I’ve noticed (and admired) in many old Chinese poets. Spontaneity clearly was key. T’ao Ch’ien will begin a poem in a good mood, become sad and disconsolate, then perk up at the end when he thinks of wine:
He was also capable of simple light-hearted joy, a low-key euphoria abetted by autumnal sadness:
There’s quite a bit in these poems that reminds me of the pre-Socratic philosophers – a primitivism coupled with a sophisticated, clear-eyed grasp of tremendous concepts in unadulterated, simplistic form, while making tangible the feel of the planet beneath individualized ancient feet.
T’ao Ch’ien is one of the humble immortals.
Dropping out and moving with his family (wife and two or three kids) to a small house in the 5th century boondocks allowed him direct access to the great Earth’s multitudinous processes of change, an ancient concept dubbed “the Great Transformation”, which coupled with a personal philosophy of letting everything come as it may provided him with - (not happiness exactly) - a nearly transcendent inner freedom. To assist himself in the settled waiting required to tap into these processes, he drank wine, and wrote about drinking wine while drinking wine. He loved his wine! But as the introduction makes clear, he typically drank just enough to “loosen up” and break down habits of mind. Many of his poems were obviously begun with no fixed intention of where they would end up; a characteristic I’ve noticed (and admired) in many old Chinese poets. Spontaneity clearly was key. T’ao Ch’ien will begin a poem in a good mood, become sad and disconsolate, then perk up at the end when he thinks of wine:
I couldn’t want another life. This is my
true calling, working fields and mulberries
with my own two hands. I’ve never failed it,
and still, against hunger and cold, there’s
only hull and chaff. I’m not asking for more
than a full stomach. All I want is enough
common rice, heavy clothes for winter and
open-weaves for the summer heat – nothing
more. But I haven’t even managed that. O,
it can leave you stricken with grief.
And character is fate. If you’re simple-
minded in life, its ways elude you. That’s
how it is. Nothing can change it. But then,
I’ll delight in even a single cup of wine.
He was also capable of simple light-hearted joy, a low-key euphoria abetted by autumnal sadness:
In a meager home, guests rare, I often
forget I’m surrounded by turning seasons.
And now falling leaves fill courtyard
emptiness, I grow sad, realizing it’s
autumn already. Fresh sunflower thickets
fill north windows. Sweet grains in south
fields ripen. Though I’m far from happy
today, I know next year may never come.
"Get the kids together", I tell my wife,
"it’s the perfect day for a nice long walk."
There’s quite a bit in these poems that reminds me of the pre-Socratic philosophers – a primitivism coupled with a sophisticated, clear-eyed grasp of tremendous concepts in unadulterated, simplistic form, while making tangible the feel of the planet beneath individualized ancient feet.
T’ao Ch’ien is one of the humble immortals.
November 17, 2020
REGRESSO AO CAMPO
"Semeei uns feijões
nas encostas voltadas a sul
mas as ervas daninhas espalharam-se
e os rebentos de feijão atrofiaram
levanto-me cedo
e aproveito para mondar o quintal
de sacho aos ombros, regresso a casa
em companhia da lua
o caminho torna-se estreito
no meio das ervas e da mata cerrada
o orvalho do crepúsculo molha a minha roupa
mas isso a mim não me incomoda nada
aproveito para praticar a não-contrariedade
e o que me importa mesmo
é não trair os sonhos."
POEMA AO ESTILO ANTIGO I
"No segundo mês da Primavera
chega a estação das chuvas,
logo que o primeiro trovão
se ouve como um estrondo a leste,
todos os seres escondidos
mostram o semblante aterrorizado
ervas e árvores espalham-se
em todas as direcções
e alegres se agitam as andorinhas
que acabaram de chegar,
um casal entra na minha cabana
mas em conjunto conseguem
regressar à antiga morada
o ninho que deixaram
continua intacto
desde que nós nos separámos,
o pátio vai-se aos poucos cobrindo
de vegetação rasteira
se é verdade que o meu coração
é uma autêntica rocha
de que é feito o sentimento?"
"Semeei uns feijões
nas encostas voltadas a sul
mas as ervas daninhas espalharam-se
e os rebentos de feijão atrofiaram
levanto-me cedo
e aproveito para mondar o quintal
de sacho aos ombros, regresso a casa
em companhia da lua
o caminho torna-se estreito
no meio das ervas e da mata cerrada
o orvalho do crepúsculo molha a minha roupa
mas isso a mim não me incomoda nada
aproveito para praticar a não-contrariedade
e o que me importa mesmo
é não trair os sonhos."
POEMA AO ESTILO ANTIGO I
"No segundo mês da Primavera
chega a estação das chuvas,
logo que o primeiro trovão
se ouve como um estrondo a leste,
todos os seres escondidos
mostram o semblante aterrorizado
ervas e árvores espalham-se
em todas as direcções
e alegres se agitam as andorinhas
que acabaram de chegar,
um casal entra na minha cabana
mas em conjunto conseguem
regressar à antiga morada
o ninho que deixaram
continua intacto
desde que nós nos separámos,
o pátio vai-se aos poucos cobrindo
de vegetação rasteira
se é verdade que o meu coração
é uma autêntica rocha
de que é feito o sentimento?"
August 17, 2023
"Boundless -- this vast heap earth
this boundless heaven, how perfectly
boundless. And among ten thousand
things born of them, to find myself
a person somehow"
This dude likes to drink wine and find oneness with nature and beauty in his simple farm life and I am HERE FOR IT.
I am somewhat skeptical of poetry in translation but I genuinely loved this and read it in one sitting and cried.
this boundless heaven, how perfectly
boundless. And among ten thousand
things born of them, to find myself
a person somehow"
This dude likes to drink wine and find oneness with nature and beauty in his simple farm life and I am HERE FOR IT.
I am somewhat skeptical of poetry in translation but I genuinely loved this and read it in one sitting and cried.
April 14, 2023
Vale a pena ler estes textos tão antigos, repletos de uma sabedoria ancestral e de uma filosofia de vida em que encontramos traços orientais.
Deixo uma nota muito positiva para a tradução. Não é fácil traduzir poesia (e, certamente, muito menos poesia chinesa) mas, neste caso, os textos transmitem as imagens de forma muito vívida, ao mesmo tempo que preservam a musicalidade e o ritmo próprios do texto poético.
Deixo uma nota muito positiva para a tradução. Não é fácil traduzir poesia (e, certamente, muito menos poesia chinesa) mas, neste caso, os textos transmitem as imagens de forma muito vívida, ao mesmo tempo que preservam a musicalidade e o ritmo próprios do texto poético.
June 3, 2021
Really enjoyed the ideas, really disliked the translation.
October 14, 2021
本人前半輩子因為看得懂「陶淵明」三個字，就買下了此書，在書架上一擺就是幾十年。近來突然下了決定，要把整本書讀一遍，說不定是陶先生的靈魂在呼喚我。這篇小文當然是出自外行的拙作，還望不會鬧出什麼大笑話。(感謝柯松韻協助校訂本文。若有不足之處，則是筆者有所疏漏。)
本文結構從最雞毛蒜皮的批評開始，漸入較為深刻的分析討論。文章首先要來抱怨陶先生太愛喝酒，愛到不斷地在作品中提及飲酒，實在無聊，最明顯的例子是《和郭主簿》第二首：
在令人心怡的大自然中既然已達到精神的高點，卻又縱情飲酒，未免不解風情。
不過除了這個例子之外，陶先生寫到飲酒並不是混淆詩意。其實，陶先生提到飲酒，通常只是代表個人樂趣的追求，因此讀者可以放遠來看，不必放大檢視詩中反覆出現的飲酒行為。
即使我們接受詩作中飲酒之舉一再出現，詩中一再提到辭官，再三考量是否退隱，也讓人反感。詩選中有八成的內容，似乎都是陶先生的自我辯護，解釋自己為何辭官。反覆強調這個話題顯得單調，且藏著一種酸葡萄心理，就像孔子騙人的說詞「人不知而不慍， 不亦君子乎? 」（《論語》 1:1）。（屈原的自我可憐更不要說，不過至少比孔子老實多了。）同理，陶先生堅持說他不要做官，也很可能是吹噓自己最有資格做官。
但是，這樣的想法，只要看幾首陶先生的詩，就會發現他是玩真的。他不像孔子掩飾政治野心。反而，陶淵明看破了儒家教化的騙局。他辭官歸田不符合孔子所說「天下有道則見，無道則隱」(《論語》8:13)，因為他不誇大自己的重要性，也不承認學仕者的偽善。可以說他的主張是「見則無道，隱則有道」。
陶淵明多次強調做官完全是為了俸祿。這不是他輕率地抱怨他人的腐敗，而是揭示一個惡劣現象，連自己也包含其中。 《飲酒》十九的第一句 --「疇昔苦長飢，投耒去學仕」-- 以及《歸去來兮辭序》的「公田之利足以為酒，故便求之….猶望一稔， 當斂裳宵逝」等都說得一清二楚。
《雜詩》的第八首說得更直接，把做官的意義說成純粹的寄生手段：
「代耕」是指着「以祿代耕」說的。並且，筆者認為這首詩裡的「代」和「替」兩個字的用法都是屬於使動用法，意味着「使別人代替我耕田」或 「把耕田的任務推卸給別人」。選集的選注者，徐巍先生，認為這個替字的意思是廢棄。可是前面的「躬親」表示「自己做」，所以最有意義的對比就應該是「使別人做」。陶先生描寫耕田者的辛苦，再談到學仕者的「盡獲宜」是非常巧妙的筆法，也把孟子的「治於人者食人，治人者食於人」苛責得片甲不留。 筆者念了這首就很想為陶一觴。
除了經濟方面之外，陶先生也很懷疑儒家文化上的意義。這邊要探討的是《飲酒》第二十首：
在表面上這首詩向古時的賢人表示常見的尊敬，可是感覺上似乎含着變相的諷刺。「汲汲魯中叟」…「區區諸老翁」真的讓人想到文化英雄嗎? 「汲汲」可以形容努力不休，也可以表示虛偽奸詐，反正好像是暨忙碌又沒有意義的活動。「區區」也許是說誠摯，也許是說瑣碎，都不算高明的姿態。「魯中叟」…「諸老翁」也有點太輕薄的，缺乏尊重。在這方面，陶先生的寫法很工：他利用雙關語跟儒家打游擊戰，不值接批評魯中叟而躲在雙關語的模棱兩可，來避免反攻。
這層意義，傳統的讀者可能無法感到。 像做選注的徐巍先生，介紹這首詩，只重複了崇儒的套話：「本首讚揚孔子及漢儒，慨歎當世道義淪亡，惟有藉飲酒來排遣憂世的心情。」 不過「六籍無一親」不包括陶淵明本身? 他「不見所問津」不是因為里人能夠靠自己的知識?「若復不快飲 ，空負頭上巾」不是說要戴着頭上巾喝酒? 那算是讚揚孔子及漢儒嗎? 算是憂世嗎? 陶淵明說他「但恨多謬誤」究竟是恨誰的謬誤? 是當世的人的還是孔子及漢儒的? 還有，陶先生為甚麼最後道歉? 他怕得罪了誰? 慨歎當世道義淪亡的詩文會得罪朝夕慨歎當世道義淪亡的文人嗎? 不會吧。陶淵明所慨歎的並不是當世道義淪亡而是愛慨歎當世道義淪亡的偽君子。所以道歉了。(同樣，陶先生的《詠三良》似乎是詠大忠，其實是刺愚忠。) 總之，陶淵明絕對不屬於那些先天下的憂而憂，後天下的樂而樂的人物。他飲酒的意義就在這裡。
的確，說陶淵明不是普通的儒家也不算甚麼突破的結論。不過，否認他憂世的心態就可以看出他入世的真面目。陶淵明辭官歸田可以說是重新建構他的哲學角度。他這份工作的過程是從最現實的基礎進行到最玄妙的終點。講具體一點，陶淵明在平凡的生活當中就發現了美妙的真理，而最後，面對着自己的死亡，他也尋求了一種不朽。
最平凡的活動就是為生活勞動。《飲酒》第十首形容得不錯：
在這首，陶先生又承認做官本來是為了吃飽(也是為了出名) ，可他也承認在田裡勞力只要「傾身」就可以「有餘」。這方面跟梭羅一致，認為經濟的問題其實很容易解決(雖然跟上面引用的《雜詩》八意思不同)。
跟梭羅不一樣的一點是陶先生也說到家庭的重要性。有關詩首是《雜詩》四：
當世士追求名利，而陶先生只願不知老而已。怕丘壟的淹沒就不敢希望甚麼空名會當作解藥，只有親戚、子孫可能會彌補絕望。
不過這首的部分樂觀只算是個例外。陶先生可能只有這一次提到子孫可以帶來的幸福。通常，陶先生以個人的角色進入大自然的深奧，培養自己的敏銳度，發掘可靠的真理。《和郭主簿》二已經提過了。《飲酒》五更代表這種心理：
這首所描寫的大自然能夠動人到想像旅遊的能力。筆者認為「飛鳥相與還」不是說「鳥兒相隨回巢」而是說「我跟着鳥飛去」。反正陶先生毫無疑問的是離開人境，隨心飛到遠地。
這首被認為���陶先生最有名的作品，實至名歸。 而且它顯示陶淵明主要的立場是充滿着個人主義。他所重新建設的哲學觀念是受到個人的限制。他很少揣想社會的問題。(或許《桃花源詩》的「怡然有餘樂，于何勞智慧」是指着孟子所謂「勞心者治人， 勞力者治於人」。從陶先生的主要態度來看，至少他的理想社會不會容許甚麼勞心者治人的剝削。)
身為個人主義者都會遇到寂寞的危險。陶先生的《飲酒》八真會讓讀者哭：
即使能夠與鳥高飛，生活在夢幻間的詩人也遲早會落地，記得他只是一棵獨樹，被眾草隱蔽了， 也被人家忽視了。個人的驕傲會帶來失望/沮喪。再加上人總免不了一死，就會造成很精神極度低落。陶淵明常常透露這類的憂鬱。
好在，陶先生找到了一個解決寂寞的方法，那就是知音。只要有一個人了解他，那棵獨樹的寂寞就可以接受。陶先生的作品有幾首提出歷史上的隱士，各有特別的人能夠賞識。像《詠貧士》六，有一句「舉世無知者，只有一劉龔」 是說隱士張仲蔚跟唯一理解他的劉龔(字孟公) 。《怨詩楚調示龐主簿鄧治中》有一句「慷慨獨悲歌，鍾期信為賢」是說只有鍾子期一個人能夠欣賞伯牙彈琴。 只要有一個人知音，連獨悲歌的也可以算贏家。
並且，除了當時的知音之外，獨自悲歌的也可以通過文學的管道來尋找生於幾百年後的知音。因此，陶淵明常常寫到「今我不述，後生何聞哉」《有會而作》、「伊懷難具道，為君作此詩」《擬古》六等句，與後代溝通，不但找到知音，而達到不朽。
總之，看完了陶先生的詩選，本人覺得他還活着。 了解他就是多給他一個命。《桃花源詩》最後的一句「願言躡輕風，高舉尋吾契」就是成真的禱告。
本文結構從最雞毛蒜皮的批評開始，漸入較為深刻的分析討論。文章首先要來抱怨陶先生太愛喝酒，愛到不斷地在作品中提及飲酒，實在無聊，最明顯的例子是《和郭主簿》第二首：
和澤週三春，清涼素秋節。
露凝無遊氛，天高肅景澈。
陵岑聳逸峯，遙瞻皆奇絕。
芳菊開林耀，青松冠巖列。
懷此貞秀姿，卓爲霜下傑。
銜觴念幽人，千載撫爾訣。
檢素不獲展，厭厭竟良月。
在令人心怡的大自然中既然已達到精神的高點，卻又縱情飲酒，未免不解風情。
不過除了這個例子之外，陶先生寫到飲酒並不是混淆詩意。其實，陶先生提到飲酒，通常只是代表個人樂趣的追求，因此讀者可以放遠來看，不必放大檢視詩中反覆出現的飲酒行為。
即使我們接受詩作中飲酒之舉一再出現，詩中一再提到辭官，再三考量是否退隱，也讓人反感。詩選中有八成的內容，似乎都是陶先生的自我辯護，解釋自己為何辭官。反覆強調這個話題顯得單調，且藏著一種酸葡萄心理，就像孔子騙人的說詞「人不知而不慍， 不亦君子乎? 」（《論語》 1:1）。（屈原的自我可憐更不要說，不過至少比孔子老實多了。）同理，陶先生堅持說他不要做官，也很可能是吹噓自己最有資格做官。
但是，這樣的想法，只要看幾首陶先生的詩，就會發現他是玩真的。他不像孔子掩飾政治野心。反而，陶淵明看破了儒家教化的騙局。他辭官歸田不符合孔子所說「天下有道則見，無道則隱」(《論語》8:13)，因為他不誇大自己的重要性，也不承認學仕者的偽善。可以說他的主張是「見則無道，隱則有道」。
陶淵明多次強調做官完全是為了俸祿。這不是他輕率地抱怨他人的腐敗，而是揭示一個惡劣現象，連自己也包含其中。 《飲酒》十九的第一句 --「疇昔苦長飢，投耒去學仕」-- 以及《歸去來兮辭序》的「公田之利足以為酒，故便求之….猶望一稔， 當斂裳宵逝」等都說得一清二楚。
《雜詩》的第八首說得更直接，把做官的意義說成純粹的寄生手段：
代耕本非望，所業在田桑。
躬親未曾替，寒餒常糟糠。
豈期過滿腹，但願飽粳糧。
御冬足大布，麤絺以應陽。
正而不能得，哀哉亦可傷。
人皆盡獲宜，拙生失其方。
理也可奈何，且為陶一觴。
「代耕」是指着「以祿代耕」說的。並且，筆者認為這首詩裡的「代」和「替」兩個字的用法都是屬於使動用法，意味着「使別人代替我耕田」或 「把耕田的任務推卸給別人」。選集的選注者，徐巍先生，認為這個替字的意思是廢棄。可是前面的「躬親」表示「自己做」，所以最有意義的對比就應該是「使別人做」。陶先生描寫耕田者的辛苦，再談到學仕者的「盡獲宜」是非常巧妙的筆法，也把孟子的「治於人者食人，治人者食於人」苛責得片甲不留。 筆者念了這首就很想為陶一觴。
除了經濟方面之外，陶先生也很懷疑儒家文化上的意義。這邊要探討的是《飲酒》第二十首：
羲農去我久，舉世少復真。
汲汲魯中叟，彌縫使其淳。
鳳鳥雖不至，禮樂暫得新。
洙泗輟微響，漂流逮狂秦。
詩書復何罪，一朝成灰塵。
區區諸老翁，為事誠殷勤。
如何絕世下，六籍無一親。
終日馳車走，不見所問津。
如復不快飲，空負頭上巾。
但恨多謬誤，君當恕醉人。
在表面上這首詩向古時的賢人表示常見的尊敬，可是感覺上似乎含着變相的諷刺。「汲汲魯中叟」…「區區諸老翁」真的讓人想到文化英雄嗎? 「汲汲」可以形容努力不休，也可以表示虛偽奸詐，反正好像是暨忙碌又沒有意義的活動。「區區」也許是說誠摯，也許是說瑣碎，都不算高明的姿態。「魯中叟」…「諸老翁」也有點太輕薄的，缺乏尊重。在這方面，陶先生的寫法很工：他利用雙關語跟儒家打游擊戰，不值接批評魯中叟而躲在雙關語的模棱兩可，來避免反攻。
這層意義，傳統的讀者可能無法感到。 像做選注的徐巍先生，介紹這首詩，只重複了崇儒的套話：「本首讚揚孔子及漢儒，慨歎當世道義淪亡，惟有藉飲酒來排遣憂世的心情。」 不過「六籍無一親」不包括陶淵明本身? 他「不見所問津」不是因為里人能夠靠自己的知識?「若復不快飲 ，空負頭上巾」不是說要戴着頭上巾喝酒? 那算是讚揚孔子及漢儒嗎? 算是憂世嗎? 陶淵明說他「但恨多謬誤」究竟是恨誰的謬誤? 是當世的人的還是孔子及漢儒的? 還有，陶先生為甚麼最後道歉? 他怕得罪了誰? 慨歎當世道義淪亡的詩文會得罪朝夕慨歎當世道義淪亡的文人嗎? 不會吧。陶淵明所慨歎的並不是當世道義淪亡而是愛慨歎當世道義淪亡的偽君子。所以道歉了。(同樣，陶先生的《詠三良》似乎是詠大忠，其實是刺愚忠。) 總之，陶淵明絕對不屬於那些先天下的憂而憂，後天下的樂而樂的人物。他飲酒的意義就在這裡。
的確，說陶淵明不是普通的儒家也不算甚麼突破的結論。不過，否認他憂世的心態就可以看出他入世的真面目。陶淵明辭官歸田可以說是重新建構他的哲學角度。他這份工作的過程是從最現實的基礎進行到最玄妙的終點。講具體一點，陶淵明在平凡的生活當中就發現了美妙的真理，而最後，面對着自己的死亡，他也尋求了一種不朽。
最平凡的活動就是為生活勞動。《飲酒》第十首形容得不錯：
在昔曾遠遊，直至東海隅。
道路迥且長，風波阻中塗。
此行誰使然，似為飢所驅。
傾身營一飽，少許便有餘。
恐此非名計，息駕歸閒居。
在這首，陶先生又承認做官本來是為了吃飽(也是為了出名) ，可他也承認在田裡勞力只要「傾身」就可以「有餘」。這方面跟梭羅一致，認為經濟的問題其實很容易解決(雖然跟上面引用的《雜詩》八意思不同)。
跟梭羅不一樣的一點是陶先生也說到家庭的重要性。有關詩首是《雜詩》四：
丈夫志四海，我願不知老。
親戚共一處，子孫還相保。
觴絃肆朝日，樽中酒不燥。
緩帶盡歡娛，起晚眠常早。
孰若當世士，冰炭滿懷抱。
百年歸丘壟，用此空名道。
當世士追求名利，而陶先生只願不知老而已。怕丘壟的淹沒就不敢希望甚麼空名會當作解藥，只有親戚、子孫可能會彌補絕望。
不過這首的部分樂觀只算是個例外。陶先生可能只有這一次提到子孫可以帶來的幸福。通常，陶先生以個人的角色進入大自然的深奧，培養自己的敏銳度，發掘可靠的真理。《和郭主簿》二已經提過了。《飲酒》五更代表這種心理：
結廬在人境，而無車馬喧。
問君何能爾，心遠地自偏。
採菊東籬下，悠然見南山。
山氣日夕佳，飛鳥相與還。
此中有真意，與辨已忘言。
這首所描寫的大自然能夠動人到想像旅遊的能力。筆者認為「飛鳥相與還」不是說「鳥兒相隨回巢」而是說「我跟着鳥飛去」。反正陶先生毫無疑問的是離開人境，隨心飛到遠地。
這首被認為���陶先生最有名的作品，實至名歸。 而且它顯示陶淵明主要的立場是充滿着個人主義。他所重新建設的哲學觀念是受到個人的限制。他很少揣想社會的問題。(或許《桃花源詩》的「怡然有餘樂，于何勞智慧」是指着孟子所謂「勞心者治人， 勞力者治於人」。從陶先生的主要態度來看，至少他的理想社會不會容許甚麼勞心者治人的剝削。)
身為個人主義者都會遇到寂寞的危險。陶先生的《飲酒》八真會讓讀者哭：
青松在東園，眾草沒其姿。
凝霜殄異類，卓然見高枝。
連林人不覺，獨樹眾乃奇。
提壺挂寒柯，遠望時復為。
吾生夢幻間，何事紲塵羈。
即使能夠與鳥高飛，生活在夢幻間的詩人也遲早會落地，記得他只是一棵獨樹，被眾草隱蔽了， 也被人家忽視了。個人的驕傲會帶來失望/沮喪。再加上人總免不了一死，就會造成很精神極度低落。陶淵明常常透露這類的憂鬱。
好在，陶先生找到了一個解決寂寞的方法，那就是知音。只要有一個人了解他，那棵獨樹的寂寞就可以接受。陶先生的作品有幾首提出歷史上的隱士，各有特別的人能夠賞識。像《詠貧士》六，有一句「舉世無知者，只有一劉龔」 是說隱士張仲蔚跟唯一理解他的劉龔(字孟公) 。《怨詩楚調示龐主簿鄧治中》有一句「慷慨獨悲歌，鍾期信為賢」是說只有鍾子期一個人能夠欣賞伯牙彈琴。 只要有一個人知音，連獨悲歌的也可以算贏家。
並且，除了當時的知音之外，獨自悲歌的也可以通過文學的管道來尋找生於幾百年後的知音。因此，陶淵明常常寫到「今我不述，後生何聞哉」《有會而作》、「伊懷難具道，為君作此詩」《擬古》六等句，與後代溝通，不但找到知音，而達到不朽。
總之，看完了陶先生的詩選，本人覺得他還活着。 了解他就是多給他一個命。《桃花源詩》最後的一句「願言躡輕風，高舉尋吾契」就是成真的禱告。
May 20, 2024
Para mi toda poesía verdadera tiene un poco de alquimia, toda vez que hay transformación. Esto es profundamente verdad en la poesía china. Lo cierto es que hasta el momento había explorado mucho más las palabras de los poetas de la dinastía Tang y Song, siendo estos últimos mis favoritos.
Su Shi, o Su Dongpo, un poeta Song, fue quien me mostró el camino a Tao Yuanming, poeta del periodo de las 6 dinastías. Así es como pasa, una lectura va conduciendo a otra, hasta juntar una gran telaraña.
Un abrazo y sin hippismo alguno, los invito a meterse en el arte marcial que es la poesía cuando es real.
Su Shi, o Su Dongpo, un poeta Song, fue quien me mostró el camino a Tao Yuanming, poeta del periodo de las 6 dinastías. Así es como pasa, una lectura va conduciendo a otra, hasta juntar una gran telaraña.
Un abrazo y sin hippismo alguno, los invito a meterse en el arte marcial que es la poesía cuando es real.
November 17, 2021
Adorei este livro.
Apesar de escrito no século VII, mantém-se intemporal pelo retrato da vida de alguém que, temporariamente, deixa a vida na terra para aceitar um emprego como funcionário público, acabando por retornar em pouco tempo à sua génese e percebendo que o dinheiro não lhe traz a felicidade e a calma que o campo lhe transmite. Além de uma escrita simples, existe uma proximidade com o leitor, uma vez que este poderá rever-se e transportar-se ao seu próprio significado e vida.
Apesar de escrito no século VII, mantém-se intemporal pelo retrato da vida de alguém que, temporariamente, deixa a vida na terra para aceitar um emprego como funcionário público, acabando por retornar em pouco tempo à sua génese e percebendo que o dinheiro não lhe traz a felicidade e a calma que o campo lhe transmite. Além de uma escrita simples, existe uma proximidade com o leitor, uma vez que este poderá rever-se e transportar-se ao seu próprio significado e vida.
August 14, 2023
This is possibly Hinton's finest translation of poetry out there. It ranks right beside his translation of Meng Chiao. And really, his Meng Chiao is really only up there because it is the *only* way to get a filling helping of Chiao's poetry.
I usually am not hot on Hinton, but seriously, this is the best Tao ch'ien/tao qian on the market right now. I expect this will be displaced by Red Pine's translation of Tao Qian coming October, 2023.
I usually am not hot on Hinton, but seriously, this is the best Tao ch'ien/tao qian on the market right now. I expect this will be displaced by Red Pine's translation of Tao Qian coming October, 2023.
January 23, 2022
Poesia chinesa do século IV d.C. O apelo à simplicidade, à vida rural, à ligação à natureza, a fazer lembrar Alberto Caeiro.
A experiência não foi total, pois li a obra traduzida para português e não na língua original.
"As almas errantes, onde estarão agora / Se honra e riqueza são invejáveis, / No fim de contas tudo acaba / Numa solidão desoladora" - em «Poema ao antigo estilo 2»
A experiência não foi total, pois li a obra traduzida para português e não na língua original.
"As almas errantes, onde estarão agora / Se honra e riqueza são invejáveis, / No fim de contas tudo acaba / Numa solidão desoladora" - em «Poema ao antigo estilo 2»
August 8, 2019
Unfortunately I could only find a handful of his poems translated into English online, but I loved what I found. I will buy the actual book one day.
August 29, 2023
cottagecore but make it chinese and in the year 300 A.C with some fear of death sprinkled in for good measure.
would give it a 3.5 if Goodreads allowed that.
would give it a 3.5 if Goodreads allowed that.
Want to read
March 15, 2025读的是这个版本《陶渊明诗选》。
May 2, 2016
I believe that Tao Yuanming was a very strong individual, I mean i think at the beginning he did not want to work for the government I saw it more as like a pass down job to him by his relatives it was like he had to do it like if he owed it to someone. As more I read I realized how hard it might have been for him working in a place were he did not want to be I mean the people loved him and had a great respect for him, but it was not something that Tao wanted to do. I felt good when he finally decided to leave the job he was at. When he retired finally after all the thought he put into it after ll the tragic events he went through from the death of his sister for example. having time for him and his family and to be with his children something that he finally wanted to do. The poem that impact me the most or the poem I can say I related was the one returning to live in the farm or something like that I cant remember of the top of my head, any ways I say that I can relate to it because I could read the joy he had to going to a place where he enjoyed. It is like me when I get home and realize I have no homework and on my day off at work I can finally relax. (Who am I kidding I am a college student I will never have time to relax completely) Any way I wish I could just sit down with a glass of wine like Tao Yuanming did and just write my life away. Maybe one day!
April 6, 2016
After reading this book I realized that Tao Yuanming was someone who practiced reclusion and he also contributed to the fabric of this tradition. He withdrew from the public sector because of many reasons which I think including that his sister passed away and also that the government was really corrupted and he tried so many times to stay and be that person that would create change for other people and also to the society. Tao was the hope of everyone and when he retired everyone felt really bad because the hope they had in fixing a corrupted government has been gone. Tao was a really good military man that was disgusted by how bad the government was and also I think to him he thought it could not be fixed that’s another reason I think he gave up and retired. Tao also drank lots of wine all the time and I think he was just drinking wine because it helps him relax most of the times. (167)
September 28, 2015
I don't know about the translation into English, but I loved his words! The last ones about dying and the grave were particularly poignant.
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