Wang Wei
“Deer Enclosure”
Empty mountain, no man is seen.
Only heard are echoes of men’s talk.
Reflected light enters the deep wood
And shines again on blue-green moss.
“Lake Yi”
Blowing flutes cross to the distant shore.
At day’s dusk I bid farewell to you.
On the lake with one turn of the head:
Mountain green rolls into white clouds.
“White Rock Rapids”
Clear and shallow, White Rock Rapids.
Green rushes once could be grasped.
Families live east and west of the water,
Washing silk beneath the bright moon.
Translated by Pauline Yu
Resources for Wang Wei
- Columbia U, Asia for Educators: handout with short bio, selection of poems, and discussion questions.
- Colombia U, Asia for Educators: video about Wang Wei (browse menu on the left for more videos on Wang Wei).
- Cultural China, Wang Wei page, includes bio and link to selection of poems.
- Chinese Poems, includes links to selection of Wang Wei’s poems
General Resources Tang Poetry
- Columbia U, Asia for Educators: resource page with many links to videos, handouts, etc on Tang Dynasty and Poetry
- Columbia U, links to many videos on Chinese and Japanese culture and history, including an intro to Tang Poetry
- Columbia U, handout on the Chinese Scholar-Official
- Cultural China, site with lots of info on all aspects of Chinese culture. Browse the history and literature sections for more on the Tang Dynasty and poets.
- Encyclopedia Brittanica’s page on China (see sections on history, arts, Tang dynasty, and Tang Poetry).
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