Wang Zhihuan (; 688–742), alternatively transliterated as Wang Tsu-huan, was a
Chinese poet of the
Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He is best known for his ''
jueju
''Jueju'' (), or Chinese quatrain, is a type of '' jintishi'' ("modern form poetry") that grew popular among Chinese poets in the Tang Dynasty (618–907), although traceable to earlier origins. ''Jueju'' poems are always quatrains; or, more s ...
'' "Climbing Stork Tower" ().
Poetry
No collection of Wang's poems seems to have been made. Only six of his poems survive, all of which are quatrains, but almost every one has become a minor classic.
Two poems were included in the famous poetry anthology
Three Hundred Tang Poems
The ''Three Hundred Tang Poems'' () is an anthology of poems from the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–907). It was first compiled around 1763 by Sun Zhu (1722–1778Yu, 64–65), who was a Qing Dynasty scholar and was also known as Hengtang Tuishi ( ...
, translated by
Witter Bynner
Harold Witter Bynner (August 10, 1881 – June 1, 1968), also known by the pen name Emanuel Morgan, was an American poet and translator. He was known for his long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and association with other literary figures the ...
as "At Heron Lodge" (also called "On the Stork Tower", a five-character-quatrain) and "Beyond the Border", a folk-song-styled-verse.
Famous competition at the wine shop
Wang Zhihuan was once involved in a famous incident at a wine shop with fellow poets
Gao Shi
Gao Shi (ca. 704–765) was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, two of whose poems were collected in the popular anthology ''Three Hundred Tang Poems''. His courtesy name was Dàfú ().'' Kanjigen'' entry "Gao Shi" (Kōteki/Kōseki). Gakken 2006.''Daijis ...
and
Wang Changling
Wang Changling (; 698–756) was a major Tang dynasty poet. His courtesy name was Shaobo (). He was originally from Taiyuan in present-day Shanxi province, according to the editors of the '' Three Hundred Tang Poems'', although other sources c ...
, in which they agreed to compete as to which of their poems would be most sung by the professional entertainers who happened to show up in the course of that evening's entertainment. Towards the beginning of the evening, one performer happened to sing one of Wang Changling's poems. Not too long after that, another performer sang one of Gao Shi's poems. And, then another performer recited another lyric of Wang Changling's. The performance then went on, with one for Gao Shi, two for Wang Changling, and none for Wang Zhihuan. It so happened that one of the
female entertainers known as the most beautiful finally gave her performance: she delivered a piece, based on a poem of Wang Zhihuan's (this was the one, which, much later,
Witter Bynner
Harold Witter Bynner (August 10, 1881 – June 1, 1968), also known by the pen name Emanuel Morgan, was an American poet and translator. He was known for his long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and association with other literary figures the ...
translated as "Beyond the Border").
[Owen, 111-113.]
See also
*
Tang poetry
Tang poetry () refers to poetry written in or around the time of or in the characteristic style of China's Tang dynasty, (June 18, 618 – June 4, 907, including the 690–705 reign of Wu Zetian) and/or follows a certain style, often considered ...
*
Three Hundred Tang Poems
The ''Three Hundred Tang Poems'' () is an anthology of poems from the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–907). It was first compiled around 1763 by Sun Zhu (1722–1778Yu, 64–65), who was a Qing Dynasty scholar and was also known as Hengtang Tuishi ( ...
Notes
References
* Owen, Stephen. ''The Great Age of Chinese Poetry: The High Tang''. Revised Edition. Melbourne: Quirin Press, 2013.
*Wu, John C. H. (1972). ''The Four Seasons of Tang Poetry''. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E.Tuttle.
Further reading
* Bu Dong 卜冬. ''Wang Zhihuan de liangzhou ci'' 王之渙的涼州詞. ''Wenxue yanjiu'' 1958.2.
* Varsano, Paula. "Enduring Pleasures". In ''Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society'', Vol. 151, No. 2 (June 2007), pp. 211-217.
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wang, Zhihuan
Three Hundred Tang Poems poets
688 births
742 deaths
People from Taiyuan
Poets from Shanxi
8th-century Chinese poets