Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series, No. 47

Book excerpt: Apart from “new poetry” composed in the vernacular language, the tradition of classical poetry originating in China has also been maintained in Taiwan. We cannot ignore the fact that those poets who continued to compose classical verse, as well as the activities of their poetry societies, are yet another aspect of the diversity of Chinese-language poetic development in Taiwan which at the same time has unique local characteristics. Professor Huang's organization of the issue includes an introductory essay, entitled “Poems that Speak of Taiwan—Speaking of Taiwan Poetry” in which she gives a brief summary of the historical background and special character of the development of classical poetry in Taiwan. According to her careful plan, Professor Huang divided the poems translated for this special edition into six thematic sections: 1) Taiwan and Taiwanese in the Interstices of History (6 poems) 2) Crossing the Ocean to Taiwan, Putting Down Roots that Grow Along with Chinese Culture (5 poems) 3) Poems on the Aesthetics of Natural Landscape Scenery (6 poems) 4) Climate, Natural Resources, and Food (6 poems) 5) Folk Customs, Festivals, and Sacrificial Ceremony (4 poems) 6) Poems Expressing Emotions, Sentiments and Criticisms (7 poems) In the poetry selected for this issue we see the rich, expansive content of classical Chinese verse from Taiwan. That verse manifests the responses of Taiwanese poets to their times, to nature, to places and to people. It also reflects the many faces of Taiwan's specific temporal and geographical background through depictions of local experiences and the local spirit. 台灣詩歌的發展，除了以白話文創作的新詩之外，還有繼承中國古典詩歌傳統、延續不絕的古典詩歌創作者及其詩社活動，呈現出台灣漢詩發展的多樣性，同時又有其在地特色。 在黃美娥教授的策劃下，這一專輯的內容，除了詩選以外，本輯還有特地請黃教授撰寫一篇導論〈詩說台灣．說台灣詩〉，簡述台灣古典詩發展的歷史背景和主要特色。另一篇是黃教授撰寫的學術論文，〈實踐與轉化：日治時代臺灣傳統詩社的現代性體驗〉（摘譯）。關於詩選，共選31家，34首，根據題材，分成6個主題，以呈現台灣古典漢詩的特色。在題材上，反映社會和生活的開闊性和呼應歷史和時代的現代性。