What a contrast with Shelley's "ode to the West Wind!" Yot, these two lines carry fully, at least in the Chinese original, the sentiment, of the ambitious conqueror and there is no Chinese who does not think that one word. more would weaken the effect. This, of course, does not prove that' the first Hi emperor is a greater poet than Shelley. Tt only serves to show the difference in the spirit of poetry between the East and the The natural result of such plicity is subtle shades of meaning and suggestion condensed in brief symbols. Instead of long, Homeric similes, the Chinese, poet prefers "to. show one come: as Confucius suid: figuratively of learning, "but rot the other "three." When he sings: "Outside the window screen, two ox three plantains," he implies the sobbing notes of autumn wind and rain beating on their dry: leaves and forcing him to painful recollect Thus, when he writes the next line, Hons in, a lonely, alegpless "night, "Night—long. What can one do?" the Chinese reader does not find it and incoherent but. deeper, Neher, and more exquisite in. senti-
ployed in alt true Chinese art. On mont, he same technique is em the stage, for instance, the Chinese octo ishes a whip in the alr and let the spectators. supply the horse from their imagination. presence of shading clouds conceals landscape painting, the frequent tranquil hermits cottage, perhaps a whole range of fantastic peaks with roaring entaracts, murmuring brooks, and $0 on. Such a technique is hot merely" symbotie bat intriguingly stylistic. Stylistic symbolism, if we please, it may be properly fermed. And often it the" greatest stumbling-block translating or appreciating Chinese art and literature, Few Wester-era would like @ famous poem by Li Po, China's Shakespeare, which, in a literal translation, reads?
Titoa "ines of oot (ity)
Ani rainbow eud ook leave of Pott (cit
turned to Chiangeling—
Th one day.
Qn the two banks The screaming of monkeys...
The nimble boat en ud mountains—Had already passed by!"
The Pocm Explained Chinese, "Amid rainbow suggests the ancient. Po-ti city nestling high in mountains, "a thousand 10" stands for a long trip and a fast one in connection with "in one day: "the screaming of monkeys" implies the wild, wooded
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.