Richard Vann

/The Daya of West Lake Richard Vann

The clouds rise on my exited chest.
The birds I see widest back to nest.
One day, I'll stand on the steep crest,
And oversee small hills of the rest.

Fan Qiang, a great poet living in China, has spent five years carefully translating Chinese classical poems penned hundreds of years ago by such literary masters as Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi and Li Qingzhao etc..

While attempting to stay true to the original meaning of the poems and the rhymes in English, He also pays homage to the artistic qualities of each of the one hundred and sixty-two included verses. Shared in both Chinese and English languages, the poems mostly reflect on the beauty of nature and its creatures. Included are his meticulous notes that address the meanings and reasons behind the writings as well as how Chinese traditional culture influenced the poets.

The Daya of West Lake is a collection of translated poetic masterpieces, from Chinese to English, sure to please anyone interested in Chinese classical poetry.