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Indeed - I have remarked before here, I think, that scholars of Chinese have preferred Brecht's (poetically superb) translations from the Chinese to more learned efforts, in particular the translations of Giles, from the literal (but possibly faulty) German translations of which Brecht actually worked in producing his versions, since he was totally ignorant of Chinese & poor at English..."Blindfolded" is a good metaphor, invoking for me the topos of "blindness & insight". - I love Rexroth too. mj Stephen Vincent wrote: >I have heard scholars of Chinese - who speak both Chinese and English - also >give Kenneth Rexroth high marks for his translations from mainly ancient >Chinese poetries. My knowledge - which may not be accurate - is that >Kenneth worked from cribbed English versions, and did know a whit of >Chinese. > >Blindfolded, some consistently remain astonishingly good at "pinning the >tail on the Donkey." > >Stephen V >http://stephenvincent.net/blog/ > > > > > > >>Interesting, indeed, Alison. >> >>I do recall at least one book on Pound's 'translations' that argued >>that, despite his faults & failures, he got closer to the spirit of the >>originals than many stricter translations. >> >>Old Friend from Far Away: 150 Chinese Poems from the Great Dynasties, >>translated by C H Kwock and Vincent McHugh (North Point Press 1980) is >>especially interesting because they argue, in a long & very interesting >>Afterword, the importance of making a good poem in the new language. >>It's a complex argument, however, yet they acknowledge Pound's >>importance. >> >>Their translations look & feel like late modernist poetry in english, & >>they swing... >> >>Doug >>On 18-May-07, at 8:33 AM, Alison Croggon wrote: >> >> >> >>>A generous lurker tracked down the Du Fu translation exercise I >>>mentioned >>>earlier - if anyone's interested, it's at >>> >>>*http://inside.bard.edu/capstonejournal/2003/df-index.htm >>>* <http://inside.bard.edu/capstonejournal/2003/df-index.htm> >>> >>>xA >>> >>>-- >>>Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au >>>Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com >>>Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com >>> >>> >>> >>> >>Douglas Barbour >>11655 - 72 Avenue NW >>Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9 >>(780) 436 3320 >>http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/ >> >>Latest book: Continuations (with Sheila E Murphy) >>http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=664 >> >> >>Peace isn't even as good a sales item >>as poetry. >> >>W. H. Ferry >> >> > > > -- The description of the status of knowledge to which we aspire determines the means of knowledge which we shall use...Therefore to us the name of That is the Silence and the Peace. - Sri Aurobindo