Blossoming Blossoms of Poetry: Selected Poems of Hsu Chicheng

Hsu Chicheng. Blossoming Blossoms of Poetry: Chosen Poems of Hsu Chicheng (Chinese - English). Translated by Zhang Zhizhong. Chongqing City: The Earth Culture Press (USA), 2012. Pages 382. Cost CNY 50.00, US $ 25.00. ISBN 978-0-9637599-6-2/E.009

The volume of Chosen Poems of Hsu Chicheng seeks to present his poetic excellence, or, as the poet would like to say, "a new beginning point" in his life right after 70. Hsu Chicheng has been writing poetry for the previous 5 decades, celebrating nature and humanity: His poems depict native landscape, idyllic life, and human values with respect for Chinese tradition and culture:

"-I am determined to devote myself to human beings
And I do not care about no matter whether you consume up my flesh or drink up my blood." (p. 361)
and
"The fire of strength shall don't die out
And shall burn far more wildly, wildly... " (p. 359)

Considering that I don't know Chinese, I can't say whether or not he follows the classic Chinese poetic types and types, also, but he is modern day in his outlook and correct to his private experiences and vision. As he notes in his prefatory:

"My pieces are written in extra blood than in ink. Humanism is the simple point in my writing; with the usual subjects of countryside, landscape, and nature, to eulogize the sunny side of human life and to spur persons onward, so as to ultimately bring advantage to my readers... In the previous 50 years, the poetry forum of Taiwan has been an animated scene: several designs and several schools of poems. But I don't follow any other school than my personal pastoral school. I go my personal way by tilling my personal land, sowing my personal seeds, and cultivating my personal crops... " (p. 13)

Of course, Hsu Chicheng writes with a commitment. His poetic sensibility is rooted in nature, the sea and rivers, the hills and mountains, the winds and rains, the fields and agricultural activities, the docile domestic birds and animals, the sincerity and simplicity of the rural persons, their honesty and tolerance, and the hardships of rural and urban life, and so forth. He is too conscious of the transitions seasoned at a variety of points of time in his profession as teacher, journalist, military judge, and post-retirement pursuits as a poet, translator and editor. His poetic imagination exudes a sense of history.

Though he puts up with challenges of numerous sociopolitical nature and ups and downs in his personal life, his visionary orientation is 'self'-ward in spite of the disappointing political and financial climate outdoors. The fighter in him exhorts: "Maintain speedy to the will/Don't let go of the target/Afraid of no bitterness/Afraid of no loneliness/He shall go his personal way by himself alone/To tread ruggedness even/To dispel haze/Walking out of winds and rains/To embrace sunshine" p. 357), just as the meditator in him rejoices: "Sitting silent/Quietude is right here/Quietude accompanies me/Only 2: she and me" (p. 369). Hsu yearns for peace and enjoys it via inner quietude "in the depth of evening". In reality poetry is his spiritual aspiration and fulfillment.

At 73, Hsu exults in hope and faith:

"There is absolutely nothing poor about retirement
There is nothing at all undesirable about dusk
I can paint nonetheless
--Although it is painting the afterglow
It can paint much better" (p. 165)

and

"Now dusk! Twilight is gathering
What is the length of the lengthy lane ahead?
Is the lane smooth or hard of walking?
Despite uncertainty
Regardless of tiredness and difficulty in walking
No quit and no rest
One's courage has to be taken in each hands
To appreciate and draw the colorful sunset glow" (p. 475)

and

"Nonetheless he does not abandon his hope
He is on the looking for without having sparing any work
... (p. 367)

Hsu loves brightness (p. 355) and sees hope in winter, "Don't shed your faith/And wait patiently" (p. 353),as he says. To him, aging is a bliss, a new chance:

"This time to be much more steady and additional steadfast
Spiritually oneself need to be completely remoulded
To overcome corporeal aging
To shoulder the load of years
To be walking in scorching heat, serious coldness, and winds & rains
To overstep myriads of hills and rills, also as bumpiness of roads... "
('Seventy Years as Spring', p. 351)

and

"We raise our heads and overlook, expecting yet another globe
We raise our heads and overlook, expecting an additional spring"
('Reappearance', p. 347)
Hsu Chicheng as a sensitive observer of himself, other individuals, and nature, voices a free of charge spirit with awareness of the cycle of adjustments and memories of childhood, development, and aging. His poems are as genuine as his silvery hair and preserve the fire of hope and faith burning (cf. pp. 333, 299, 271, 257).

Poet editor Zhang Zhizhong 's word for word literal translation, as it appears to me, effectively shows the development of Hsu's thoughts and character and locations him in the forefront of modern day Chinese poetry. He is ably joined by a couple of other translator poets, namely Yang Zongze, Yang Xu, and Hsu Chicheng himself who translate some of the ideal poems in the collection. I as well really feel that with their close reading of Hsu's poetic texts and/or their presentation in accurate contexts, Zhang Zhizhong and other folks have helped open up new spaces in Chinese poetry, be it from main land China, or from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The translators deserve congrats for their specialist rendering of Hsu's inspiring and refreshing texts and contexts.