Su Dong-Po
Translations of Tune Poems by Yun Wang

Su Dong-Po (1036-1101 A.D.) was one of the three major poets from the Song Dynasty. Su's private name was Shi. His public name was Zi-Zhan. His favorite and most frequently used honorary name was Dong-Po Ju Shi (Hermit of East Hill), which he gave himself later in life. He is generally known as Su Dong-Po in China today. He was known for his writings at an early age, which led to prominent government positions. Because of his poetry, he was arrested and then demoted many times (the last time was one year before his death) by political rivals.

Here "tune poems" refer to "ci", poetry originally written to fixed tunes, with strict tonal patterns and rhyme schemes in fixed numbers of lines and words. The lines are generally uneven in length. "ci" has been regarded as the dominant form of lyric poetry in classical Chinese poetry, it originated in the Tang Dynasty and was fully developed in the Song Dynasty. Su Dong-Po is credited with transforming ci (tune poem) from a minor form of poetry, written to match fixed tunes and often used to express amorous feelings, to a major form of poetry capable of expressing the full range of emotions and the human condition. It became the primary vessel for lyric poetry in classical Chinese poetry.

Su Dong-Po's tune poems, along with his legendary genius, charismatic personality, and storied life, have been woven into Chinese literary lore over the last thousand years. Only Li Bai has a similar reputation and stature in Chinese history and popular imagination.

Yun Wang's translations of Su Dong-Po's tune poems have been published by Kenyon Review Online (click on the link to read the poems translated by Yun Wang, or listen to a recording of the poems read by her in both Chinese and English), Willow Springs, Salamander Magazine, Kyoto Journal, Confluence, and Connotation Press. A bilingual edition of Yun Wang's translations of tune poems by Su Dong-Po, titled "Dreaming of Fallen Blossoms: Tune Poems of Su Dong-Po", will be published by White Pine Press in spring 2019.