Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty (Photography Edition)

Author: Ying Jiong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-12-01
Features: View Tang Dynasty poetry through the lens of a visual era. Immerse yourself in the millennium-old charm of Tang poetry within the light-sensitive particles of modern photography, where the gaze of two different eras converges. Highly collectible! The author has selected 300 renowned Tang Dynasty poems, paired with exquisite photographs—a first in the publishing industry. Readers enjoy both the beauty of the verses and the images, which not only provide aesthetic pleasure but also greatly aid in deepening their understanding of the poems'. To assist readers, each poem is accompanied by insightful commentary, and the text also includes critical reviews from scholars throughout history. The book concludes with biographies of the poets and an index of famous lines. It combines both reading and collectible value.
For the first time in publishing, modern photographic images are paired with Tang Dynasty masterpieces. If painters interpreted the poems as puzzles and offered visual solutions based on their own understanding, we see that the urge to solve these puzzles persists in the hearts of some contemporary photographers. Moreover, the answers revealed through modern perspectives and techniques carry a fresh meaning, creating a unique tension between the puzzle and its solution, prompting us to re-examine existing illustrations. In this regard, the pairing of Tang poetry with contemporary photography and Song Ci with ancient paintings represents a vibrant and diverse contrast.
However, in the Tang poetry photography edition, we can explore another approach to comparative reading. When images and poetry interpret each other, the included critical reviews from scholars provide a distinctive interpretive framework. Thus, when opening this book, our sensory world is enriched with a near-holographic experience, while the interplay of poetry and rational commentary creates a polyphonic auditory effect. As poets let their voices drift through the continuity of time, it seems the images have a deeper ear listening silently, striving to express its attentiveness. When images adorn space with light and color, it is the absence of concrete text, like a simmering backdrop, that elevates these dazzling visuals.
The publication of the photographic edition of Three Hundred Tang Poems is both a response to the era of visual culture and a continuation of tradition. In selecting the poems, the editor made significant adjustments while respecting classic versions, prioritizing works with strong visual elements to complement the illustrations. This allows for another form of comparative reading. When images and poetry interact, the critical reviews provide a unique interpretive lens, making the book not only a feast for the senses but also a symphony of sound in the interplay of poetry and rational analysis.
The book is printed on specially crafted Munk paper in a large 32nd format. The arrangement of text, images, typography, and color is meticulously balanced, exuding elegance and sophistication—far beyond mere "refinement." Flipping through its pages, immersed in the light-sensitive particles of modern photography, you can almost hear the heartbeat of ancient lives from a thousand years ago. "Listening to spring rain on the small tower all night, selling apricot blossoms in the deep lane tomorrow." The essence of "painting in poetry and poetry in painting" rekindles moments of beauty beyond the monotony of daily life—how often do we get to savor such wonders again?