I am interested in all periods of Chinese poetry, but spend most of my time in the pre-modern era. I also have a general interest in Chinese fiction ancient and modern. I am currently translating a life of Arthur Waley (by Miyamoto Shōzaburō). I live in Devon (UK).

In 2008 I published Spring in the Ruined City, a selection of poems by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. I decided to focus on the short but intense period of his mid-life when some of his greatest poems were written. My translations include two of his most famous long poems, which previous translators have tended to seriously truncate or omit entirely. I have also published  translations of poems by Wang Wei, Ryōkan, Su Dongpo (Su Shi), and further works by Du Fu,  in Agenda, South-West Arts, Modern Poetry in Translation and HQ Magazine.

 Du Fu, one of the world’s major poets, has been handsomely served in this superbly produced book. Jonathan Waley has caught every facet of the original in his elegant translations – the pathos, the honesty, the rueful lyric gift – and provided clear contexts to help the readers find themselves in these turbulent years during the eighth century AD. Facing-page calligraphy entices one who knows no Chinese to pick out characters for ‘tree’ or ‘person’ or ‘spring’.                                                                                             

Harry Guest

Spring in the Ruined City is published by Shearsman, and a sample of it can be downloaded from www.shearsman.com or purchased from the Shearsman Store.

Spring in the Ruined City: Paperback, 112pp, 8.5×5.5ins, 8.95 / $15 ISBN 9781848610002