Author Description

The many manifestations of Chinese poetry are crystals in which we may glimpse the multi-faceted reflections of Chinese life, values, philosophy and emotions. This artistic and literary genre reveals the inner lives of the Chinese people - how they think, feel, imagine and hope. The authors have sought to convey some sense, however fragmentary, of the artistic impulse in China as it confronts the endless mystery of existence through the millenia. The continuing impact of external influences on a culture remains uncertain. So too does the scope of the influence China will have on the world community in the twenty-first century and beyond. If you listen closely, and with a receptive ear, the resounding echoes of China's past, present and future can be heard in the mellifluous voices of its poets.