Wang Jian (Chinese: 王建; pinyin: Wáng Jiàn; Wade–Giles: Wang Chien, 766?–831?) was a Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty. One of his poems is included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.

Biography

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Wang Jian was born around 766.[1]

He died around 831.[1]

Poetry

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Wang Jian had one poem collected in Three Hundred Tang Poems, which was translated by Witter Bynner as "A Bride". He was also known to write in the rare six-syllable line, which is characterized by the presence of two caesuras per line, dividing each line into three parts of two syllables each.[2]

One of Wang's poems was adapted in the Tune of Li Zhongtang by Li Hongzhang for use as an unofficial national anthem in 1896, (the 22nd year of Guangxu) during a diplomatic visit to western Europe and Russia.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Ueki et al. 1999, p. 118.
  2. ^ Frankel, 153

Works cited

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  • Frankel, Hans H. (1978). The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press) ISBN 0-300-02242-5
  • Ueki, Hisayuki; Uno, Naoto; Matsubara, Akira (1999). "Shijin to Shi no Shōgai (Ō Ken)". In Matsuura, Tomohisa (ed.). Kanshi no Jiten 漢詩の事典 (in Japanese). Tokyo: Taishūkan Shoten. p. 118. OCLC 41025662.
  • Watson, Burton (1971). CHINESE LYRICISM: Shih Poetry from the Second to the Twelfth Century. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-03464-4

See also

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