Penguin Classics: Poems

How can we escape from these earthly toils, Shake off the dust and leave the noise of the world And gently swinging a thorn stick Get home to the Peach Blossom Stream?’

Wang Wei (AD 699-761), who was writing during a golden age of poetry, is one of the greatest poets in Chinese literature. During his lifetime he survived several political upheavals, and drew inspiration from his solitary escapes to his country estate. A devoted Buddhist, his contemplative, lyrical and delicately observed verse affirms his belief in a whole natural order, but also reflect an unresolved conflict between his mystical side, and the worldly allure of life’s pleasures.

Translated with an introduction by G. W. Robinson