Two Words, and Two Kinds of Poetry, in the Work of Liu Zhangqing

Abstract

The idea explored in this essay is that we may best assess the value of a word in a poem not by exploring its range of meaning but by cleaving as closely as possible to the verbal sign itself. Using this strategy of minimal translation, the use and connotations of two words are examined over the course of nearly seventy couplets from the work of the eighth century poet Liu Zhangqing. “Illuminate” encompasses the range of the first word, ying, including two particularly salient applications, “reflect” and “cover.” The root meaning of the second word, dai, is “belt,” but it is argued that its poetic sense is best conveyed by its abstract form, “carry.” “Illuminating” and “carrying” perform related yet distinct functions in the classical Chinese poem (shi), and discerning these two functions may point to new direction the study of Chinese poetry.