(Duiker 282-287; Brians 176-180)
Questions about Duiker: What inventions stimulated the development of Chinese literature? What is the theme of Li Bo’s (Li Po’s) poem, “Drinking Alone in Moonlight?” *What were the main themes of Chinese poetry? How does the poetry of Du Fu (Tu Fu) differ from that of Li Bo? What was the attitude of Chinese painters toward color by the tenth century?
Questions about Chinese Poetry: In “Banquet at the Tso Family Manor” what makes Tu Fu suddenly homesick? *In the first poem by Li Po, what is his solution to the sorrows of life? In the second poem of Li Po, what has happened during the night? In what way is the third poem of Li Po similar to the one by Tu Fu? *What problem does the charcoal seller in Po Chü-i’s poem have to deal with? What criticism does he make of Lao-tzü? *In Fu Hsüan’s poem, what are said to be the disadvantages of being born female? *In Mei Yao Ch’en’s poem, what is his attitude toward his dead wife? In Su Tung-p’o’s poem, what is his attitude toward the bureaucracy?
Lecture topics:
Ch’an Buddhism
Radical simplification, influence on art
Relationship of art and poetry
major themes