Chinese New Poetry 1916—2000

Author: Zhang Xinying (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The idea of compiling a selection of modern Chinese poetry in the 20th century stemmed from a desire to address the issue of existing anthologies that aimed for comprehensiveness by including too many poets. There's always a need to select, whether it's more or less, so the result often feels like a headcount, where striving for comprehensiveness almost turns into catering to everyone, leaving no one out is never easy. On the positive side, such anthologies respect the actual circumstances of literary history and honor the labor and achievements of as many poets as possible. After all, over the past century, there have been so many people writing poetry—how can an anthology casually include certain works while excluding others? However, this approach makes it difficult for general readers to find their way through the anthology. With so many poets and little variation in the number of works selected from each, the text becomes a jumble, and it's easy for the reader's mind to become muddled. From the reader's perspective, no matter how one selects, the anthology must still be rigorous enough to "select" works that enlighten and clarify. The current anthology, Modern Chinese Poetry: 1916–2000, may not achieve that level of clarity, but it sets it as a goal. The anthology includes over 200 works by more than 60 poets, and such a self-controlled scale clearly cannot be all-inclusive—not to mention, it may even omit some poets and works that have had significant influence. This allows for criticism of the anthology. However, I have also heard criticism from the other side: a few friends, after reviewing the table of contents, said it wasn't ruthless enough and could be further reduced in both the number of poets and works. Of course, there are many aspects to discuss, such as the imbalance in the number of works selected from each poet—some may feel overrepresented, while others underrepresented. From the perspective of the works themselves, could one piece be replaced with another for better effect? In fact, many more questions could be raised. This shows that each person who raises an issue has their own ideal anthology in mind, and these anthologies differ to varying degrees, even fundamentally. Depending on the situation, one can revise, expand, or even start over with the current anthology to create their own ideal version. I prefer to resolve these differences, disagreements, and oppositions through this approach rather than forcing a "consensus." Individual entities can communicate through "dialogue," but they must not impose one perspective over another, nor should they succumb to a uniform will. This is one of the arguments I offer in defense of the current anthology. The selected poems undoubtedly need to be understood within the context of their time and literary history. An anthology spanning nearly a century should also reflect the basic trajectory of literary history. In this regard, the current anthology clearly has its own aspirations. However, this aspiration should not be too strong—literary history demands certain limits. While requiring today's readers to respect historical factors, it must also respect their contemporary aesthetic tastes and judgment standards. In other words, readers should not only engage with literary history but, more importantly, bring the great works of literary history into the present. If one must ask about the editorial principles of this anthology, this is a crucial point. After all, this is a selection of works, not a chronological compilation of literary history. Moreover, this anthology is intended for as broad an audience as possible, not just specialists in literary history or a select few. So, what are the criteria for judging the excellence of a work? What are today's readers' aesthetic tastes? Clearly, there is no absolute standard or uniform taste. This anthology consciously deconstructs the notion of a "mainstream" in the "poetic history" of a certain period and the works "positioned" and "ranked" under this notion. At the same time, it does not replace it with another singular perspective or taste, though it does reflect the subjective inclinations of the editor. Instead, it strives to present a diverse range of poetic views and works. From this intention to present pluralistic poetic perspectives, the anthology also includes related texts alongside the poems—either critiques and descriptions by others or self-revelations and introspections by the poets themselves. Together, these texts could even be seen as a concise anthology of poetic theory. These texts related to poetry, like the poems themselves, exist in dialogue, difference, mutual resonance, and inconsistency. Collectively, they create a "symphony of voices." It is hoped that this concise selection not only provides readers with references for understanding but also expands the space for reading and interpretation. These many voices naturally help overcome the potential limitations imposed by any single or few monotonous voices on reading and understanding. There is one more point to clarify about the arrangement of the anthology: poems by the same author are grouped together in chronological order of composition. The order of authors corresponds to the earliest date of their selected works. This roughly aligns with the sequence of literary history. The editor initially intended to indicate the date of composition for each work but later found it difficult to do so. Nevertheless, some effort was made in this regard. Those who are attentive should note the dates of composition (not publication) at the end of each work. Throughout the lengthy process of compiling this anthology, I have continuously received encouragement and practical support from my teachers and friends. For me, this has long been an important part of daily experience, and this specific work has made this important part more concrete. At the same time, I believe that if I view this support merely as personal, I would be too narrow-minded and self-assuming. At least, it is support for a cause, and the significance of this cause lies in how it connects and gathers countless individuals around modern Chinese poetry. This anthology is also dedicated to those countless individuals. "We have listened to the wind all night in vain, / Watched the grass turn yellow and leaves red all day, / / Where can we arrange our thoughts? / May these poems be like a flag caught in the wind / To grasp some things that are hard to grasp."