Readings for this Saturday's session

I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the poetry that we were assigned to read for this Saturdays seminar. I especially enjoyed Lu Chi,s poetry about literature, "The Motive", "Meditation Before Writing", etc. I found that much of what the author expressed, gave word to what I have often felt when writing my own poetry. It was very perceptive, and wonderful to see how someone could put words to things that I have always felt when expressing my feelings in poetry.

I was surprised to see how quickly I was able to get through all of the reading. There were great examples that gave me a better understanding of the social atmosphere at different points in China's development. My favorite was "Four Poems on Wine" from the Tang Dynasty.

Speaking about Ruan Ji's two poems on page 179 in the anthology, I am struck by how bleak his outlook is toward his future. He is "afraid again of losing his way," as well as being "imbued with sadness." These quotes are the most ostensibly dark, but his prose is riddled with testaments to future uncertainty. Perhaps this was at the root of the Seven Sages and their belief to live more in the moment rather than tethered to aspirations for future glory?

As a poetry fan and English teacher, I enjoyed learning about the Chinese sonnets the most. I teach a big poetry unit with my 10th graders where we discuss the differences between English and Italian sonnets, and now I can't wait to integrate the Chinese ones we learned about on Saturday.