The Carving of Insects
By Bian Zhilin
Edited by Mary M.Y. Fung
Translated by Mary M.Y. Fung and David Lunde
2006
152 pages
ISBN 962-7255-33-5
One of the most original voices in 20th-century Chinese poetry, Bian Zhilin (1910-2000) was known for his modern sensibility and intense lyrical appeal. His style combines the techniques of the French Symbolist poets and English language poets T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden with the best of Chinese poetic tradition. His lifelong experimentation with the poetic form and his theoretical explorations contributed significantly toward the formal development of vernacular poetry. This unique collection, a near-complete translation of Bian's entire corpus, puts his delicate craftsmanship centre stage.
This title was awarded the PEN USA 2007 Literary Award for Translation:
'The translation, done collaboratively by Mary M.Y. Fung and David Lunde, is artistically superb, textually faithful, and scholarly excellent.' (Judge's Citation)