Volume of Yu Jian: A Nail Piercing the Sky

Author: Yu Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Poetry is always intertwined with the poet and its readers. When Chinese readers of modern poetry suffer hardships, Chinese poetry inevitably becomes commercialized or wounded, wandering alone, silently retreating to the corner. But today, I believe history has provided poetry with a vast space. From "eagles" and "crows" to all kinds of birds, they soar freely in the poetic sky. Their unique postures and distinctive cries earn the readers' admiration, yet also leave them dizzy and divided in opinion. Personally, I don’t find this surprising at all. It proves that poets are exploring and innovating—just as a rainbow appears after the storm. If we want to admire the beautiful rainbow, we must tolerate the. Yu Jian is one of these outstanding explorers.
Chinese poetry entered a new era around the May Fourth Movement, giving birth to modern poetry—poetry written in modern language. In nearly a century, Chinese modern poetry has produced many great poets and masterpieces, achieving remarkable accomplishments. Yet, I believe we have yet to produce great poets like Tao Yuanming, Wang Wei, Li Bai, Du Fu, or Bai Juyi, nor have we created works that can be shamelessly compared to the Tang and Song poetry. Instead, in the realm of traditional poetry, figures like Mao Zedong have emerged as masters worthy of the ancients.
Poetry is always intertwined with the poet and its readers. When Chinese readers of modern poetry suffer hardships, Chinese poetry inevitably becomes commercialized or wounded, wandering alone, silently retreating to the corner. But today, I believe history has provided poetry with a vast space. From "eagles" and "crows" to all kinds of birds, they soar freely in the poetic sky. Their unique postures and distinctive cries earn the readers' admiration, yet also leave them dizzy and divided in opinion. Personally, I don’t find this surprising at all. It proves that poets are exploring and innovating—just as a rainbow appears after the storm. If we want to admire the beautiful rainbow, we must tolerate the. Yu Jian is one of these outstanding explorers.
Yu Jian’s writing began in the 1980s of the last century. He was an acclaimed writer from the start, and today he is a celebrated figure in China’s literary scene, one of the representatives of China’s avant-garde poetry. His influence has extended beyond China to some parts of the world. On the other hand, as a poet who explores the essence of poetry, Yu Jian is inevitably a controversial figure. Unlike others who only realize their dissatisfaction at a certain point and then forge a new path, Yu Jian began exploring from the very beginning of his writing career. His exploration of the essence, form, and aesthetic of poetry, and the value of this exploration and its outcomes, are at least no less than the value of his poetry itself. His contribution to China’s literary scene is not only in poetry but also in his exploration.