Discussion Of Ezra Pound And Imagism And Other Imagists (Essay Sample)

Course:
Name:
Instructor:
Date:
Japanese and Chinese Poetry
Japan and China are some of the great countries in the world that use poetry to express feelings and events surrounding the poet’s world. Poems from the two distinct cultures have several similarities and distinctions. For instance, poets from China and Japan preferred brief lyrics focusing on numerous themes such as the beauty of nature, family life, romantic love, and friendship. In Japan, Haiku is one of the briefest poetry containing seventeen syllables that were set in three lines of 5-7-5. Matsuo Munefusa ( Basho) is renown as a king of haiku. China, as one of the first civilization on the globe, had conquered some islands that today belong to Japan. As such, it introduced its literature, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucius principles which later influenced Japanese poetry. Most of the classic poetry in Japan appear in Chinese but were later produced in Japanese. For instance, Kanshi (Japanese phrase for Chinese poetry and Japanese poetry in Chineselanguages) was the commonest poetry during the initial Heian period (Robert 11). Some of the greatest Haiku and waka poets, such as Basho and Teika have made reference to Chinese poetry, particularly those from Tang dynasty (Wilson 4). Tu (Du) and Li Po are among the respected poets in China. Li Po had the love for romanticism in Taoist culture, and on the other hand, Tu (Du) explored rationalism of the Confucian culture (Hei& Hideaki, 17).
Due to the influence of Confucius, Buddhism and Taoism, poets in the two cultures emphasized discipline and imparting knowledge on the vitality of people having control over the directions. However, there is a difference in the level of adulation for this practice. Japanese haiku came from a type of poetry called Renga, whereas, in early China, allowed some freedom in the form of Yue Fu, which is made in the style of a folk song. It usually contain five words lines or an uneven amount. Additionally, poems from these countries share similarities in aesthetics, including the use of Yugen (mystery and depth) and the unsaid, which were influenced by Confucius teachings.
The China-Japan poetry has influenced poetry in other parts of the group, chiefly the Imagism movement in the West. Unlike the western poetry which was inflated with abreaction in a sentimental way, Sino-Chinese poetry was often understated. It displayed objects or images without necessarily making direct comments (Luo 39). Western poets appreciated the traditional Chinese poetry due to it imagery. Chinese ideograms communicate precisely in images and objects, providing several spatial choices, creating an abstract idea in a composite idea. The interest of Western poets in Chinese poetry led to some traditional Chinese poems being translated into English. For instance, Pound compiled “Cathay” from nineteen poems from China, which increased interest in Chinese and Japan poetry due to imagery principles. Ezra Pound and other Imagists adopted the Chinese haiku as it provided a form that “presents an i...