Three Hundred Song Lyrics - Art Edition

Author: Yan Xiaocui, Yu Ning selected and reviewed
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: The publication of Tang Poetry Photography Edition and Song Ci Ancient Painting Edition is both a response to the era of visual culture and a continuation of tradition. Zhang Shunmin's argument on poetry in the Song Dynasty—“Poetry is invisible painting, and painting is tangible poetry”—seems to intentionally emphasize the natural connection between poetry and painting, placing both in a freely transformable same time and space to fully explore their relationship. The bond between images and poetry may prompt us to explore their relationship from multiple perspectives, and similar studies across cultures and eras have been humorously referred to by Mr. Qian Zhongshu as old grudges in academia. However, in my view, I prefer to understand the relationship between the two as a mutual answer to each other's riddles. Gu Kaizhi's reflection and helplessness when facing Ji Kang's four-character poems—“It is easy to wield five strings with the brush, but difficult to paint the sight of birds flying home”—and Su Dongpo's appreciation of Wang Wei's paintings, which revealed a poetic essence, can both be understood as the urge to seek answers to their respective riddles. However, the mutual riddle between poetry and painting has its own uniqueness. The answers found within the riddle are not unique, as the independence and completeness of their respective worlds mean that any illustrated poem or poetic illustration can only form a point of intersection between the two but cannot fully overlap or encompass. This inexhaustible answer to the riddle explains why illustrations of the same theme, such as Tao Yuanming's poetic illustrations or Wang Wei's poetic illustrations, have endured for centuries in ancient times, remaining fresh with each new rendering. The same principle also explains why books on Tang Poetry and Song Ci illustrated texts continue to captivate readers with each new release. Compared to existing versions, the features of this book are even more apparent. In terms of the selected poems, the editors made significant adjustments while respecting the selections of classic versions, prioritizing works with stronger visual elements in the poetry to better complement the illustrations. This focus is not without basis, as ancient theories of painting frequently addressed it. For example, the Xuanhe Painting Catalogue states that Wang Wei's poems are all imbued with a sense of painting, such as “Falling flowers are silent, birds cry in the mountains; willows are green, people cross the waters,” or “When you reach the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise,” and “White clouds merge when looking back, blue mist disappears when viewed up close.” These lines are said to be so painterly in their phrasing. More importantly, pairing modern photographic images with famous Tang poems is a first in publishing. If painters have always offered visual answers to the poetic riddles from their own perspectives, then we see that this urge to seek answers, even passion, still lingers in the hearts of some contemporary photographers. Moreover, under the gaze of modern perspectives and the expression of modern techniques, the answers obtained take on a completely new meaning. The unique tension between the answer and the riddle compels us to re-examine existing illustrations. In this regard, the combination of Tang poetry with contemporary photography and Song Ci with ancient paintings has created a vibrant and complex contrast. However, in the Tang Poetry Photography Edition, we can also explore another comparative reading approach. When images and poetry interpret each other, the appended critical annotations provide a unique interpretive method. Thus, when opening this book, not only does our sensory world enjoy a near holographic experience, but in terms of auditory perception, the interplay of poetry and rational interpretation also creates a polyphonic effect. When poets let their voices drift through the continuity of time, it seems that images have had a deeper ear listening silently and striving to express its listening. When images adorn space with light, shadow, and color, it is the lack of concrete text that serves as a chaotic background, lifting these dazzling illustrations. Faced with such auditory and visual charm, our senses become exceptionally acute.