Chinese Poetry Reading

The horse is represented in Chinese poetry, painting, ceramics and song, as well as in the zodiac, as a noble, even divine animal. The importation and breeding of horses from Central Asia contributed to trade along the Silk Road and inspired equestrian art. Not only in war but also in domestic and commercial life, the horse became a powerful symbol of Chinese culture. In this lecture, Leslie Bai, Ph.D will read a range of famous classical Chinese poems in translation and examine diverse works of art. Leslie Bai worked together with poet John Digby to translate these ancient Chinese horse poems.