Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Search the Poetry Chaikhana site:


Poetry Chaikhana Home
New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact
Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | Commentary
Blog | Forum | Video Channel
www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com

Buddhist
Taoist
4th Century
China
(East Asia)

 

T'ao Ch'ien

Timeline (365 - 427)

 

Poems by T'ao Ch'ien
Books - Links

T'ao Ch'ien, T'ao Ch'ien poetry, Buddhist, Buddhist poetry,  poetry,  poetry, Taoist poetry

 

Daily Poem Email

Daily Poem Email Signup

Support
the Poetry Chaikhana

Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you!

Click here

Click here
A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $5/mo.

Click here
Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo.

T'ao Ch'ien, or Tao Qian, also sometimes called T'ao Yuan-ming, was born in the Kiangsi district of China, into a family of modest wealth. But as he was growing up, the family income declined. As a young man, he failed in his attempts to get a decent government position, so T'ao Ch'ien retired to the life of a poor gentleman farmer.

His poetry suggests that, despite his material hardships (in one poem T'ao Ch'ien describes having to beg for food) and political turmoils, he seems to have cultivated a melancholy sort of contentment in his life.

His writing shows a deep communion with nature, helping to open the way for the great Chinese nature poets centuries later during the Tang dynasty. Chrysanthemums often appear in his poems.

T'ao Ch'ien exhibits a deeply philosophical nature in his poetry. He had Taoist and Buddhist leanings, including among his friends monks of the White Lotus Society, an early society of Ch'an Buddhism.

In addition to themes of nature, T'ao Chien is also known for his wine poetry.

 

Poems by T'ao Ch'ien

  After Liu Ch'ai-Sang's Poem
  Around my door and yard no dust or noise
  Autumn chrysanthemums have beautiful color
  I built my hut within where others live
  In youth I could not do what everyone else did;
  Success and failure? No known address
  Unsettled, a bird lost from the flock

Recommended Books

The Selected Poems of T'ao Ch'ien, Translated by David Hinton

Amazon.com

Sunflower Splendor: Three Thousand Years of Chinese Poetry, Edited by Wu-chi Liu / Edited by Irving Yucheng Lo

Amazon.com

Related Links:

  Tao Yuanming - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Yuanming

Short biography and links.
  Tao Chien (Tao Yuan-ming), Poet of Reclusion - House of Hermits
http://www.hermitary.com/articles/tao_chien.html

An interesting article on the poetry of Tao Chien.
  Tao Qian | William P. Coleman
http://williampcoleman.wordpress.com/tao-qian/

A few verses translated by William P. Coleman
 


Poetry Chaikhana Home
New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact
Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | Commentary
Blog | Facebook | Twitter
www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com

Please support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2011 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.