Extreme Unction
Tags
Summary
Dai Wangshu, a native of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, was a renowned modern Chinese poet. In 1925 he entered Aurora University in Shanghai to study French and came under the influence of the French Symbolists. In 1926 he joined the Communist Youth League. From 1928 he became a contributor to the Shuimo Society and later to the journal Xiandai (Les Contemporains), writing modernist poetry. In 1932 he studied in France and Spain. In 1938 he went to Hong Kong and edited the literary supplement of Sing Tao Daily. When Hong Kong fell in late 1941, he was imprisoned by the Japanese on charges of anti-Japanese activity and maintained his national integrity in prison; he was rescued in the spring of the following year. After the victory of the War of Resistance he returned to Shanghai to teach, and in the spring of 1949 he went north to the liberated areas. He died of illness in 1950. His early poems dwell largely on personal solitude, with a strong strain of melancholy; influenced by Western Symbolism, their imagery is hazy and suggestive. His later poetry expresses ardent love for the motherland, hatred of the invaders, and a fervent longing for a better future, in a clearer, more profound style.
Editor's review
Dai Wangshu's poetic career spans distinct periods: his early work dwells on personal solitude with a strong melancholy tone and hazy, suggestive imagery, while his later poetry turns to love for the motherland and hatred of the invaders, in a clearer, more profound style. The poems collected here let readers trace this evolution and are essential to understanding the poet's work as a whole. Readers will feel both the suggestive beauty of Symbolist technique and the shift and elevation of the poet's emotions amid the upheavals of the age. For readers interested in modern Chinese literary history, especially the spiritual state of writers during the War of Resistance, these poems hold distinctive documentary and aesthetic value. Reading them grouped by period of composition and comparing the styles is recommended for a fuller sense of the poet's development.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in modern Chinese literary history and the evolution of a poet's work
- Researchers interested in the shift in Dai Wangshu's style between his early and later periods
- Readers who enjoy suggestive Symbolist technique and lyrical short poems
- History and literature enthusiasts seeking insight into the spiritual state of writers during the War of Resistance
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light entertainment who are unaccustomed to poetry
- Readers who prefer plain, direct expression and have little patience for hazy imagery
Reading tips
- Read the poems grouped by period of composition, comparing the styles of the early and later work.
- Consider the historical context of the 1930s and 1940s to understand what drove the change in style.
- Select representative poems for close reading and analyze the relationship between imagery and emotional expression.
- Read alongside works by modernist poets of the same generation for cross-reference.
Contents
- 版权信息
- Soli cantare periti Arcades
- 友人生子作
- 终敷礼
- Amantium Irae
- Impenitenti Ultima
- 辞别
- Sapientia Lunae
- 请你暂敛笑容，稍感悲哀
- Seraphita
- 诗铭
FAQ
How does this book differ from other collections of Dai Wangshu's poetry?
According to the materials, Dai Wangshu's early poems focus on personal solitude with a strong melancholy tone, while his later work expresses love for the motherland and hatred of the invaders in a clearer, more profound style. The works collected here help readers see this evolution across periods.
Can I read this without knowing Symbolism?
Yes. Symbolist technique works by suggesting emotion through imagery, so readers can enter the poems by feeling even without familiarity with the movement's theory. For a deeper reading, you might first learn the basic tenets of French Symbolism, then return to how imagery is used in the poems.
What is a good way to read this book?
Read slowly and take notes, comparing poems grouped by period of composition. The poems are short and suit repeated savoring in spare moments; reading aloud can also help you feel the rhythm of the language and the rise and fall of emotion.
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Dai Wangshu
Author · China · 1905–1950
Dai Wangshu (1905–1950) was a Chinese symbolist poet of the modern school and a translator, born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. His signature poem "Rain Alley" earned him the title of "Rain Alley Poet"; his work is known for its hazy imagery and musicality and has had a lasting influence on modern Chinese poetry. He studied in France and Spain, and during the War of Resistance against Japan he engaged in anti-Japanese literary activities in Hong Kong before being arrested and imprisoned by the Japanese army, writing poems such as "Inscribed on the Prison Wall" and "I Use My Maimed Hand." His writings span modern poetry, essays, and translations of foreign literature, including a translation of Lorca's poetry. He died in Beijing in 1950 at the age of forty-five, leaving works such as Wangshu's Grass, My Memory, and Years of Disaster that are still read today.
