Paying tribute to a poetry legend
Book explores the contributions to prose and translation by one of China's 20th century giants, Yang Yang reports.
Mu Dan was one of China's leading 20th century poets and translators. Born Zha Liangzheng, he was hailed as the country's "first modern poet" by many experts of modern literature, but his contributions extend beyond poetry. Through his translations, Mu Dan introduced Western literary giants to China, leaving behind monumental contributions in both poetry and translation.
A new biography, Mu Dan: Xinsheng De Yeli (The Wild Power of New Birth), was recently published by Yilin Press, chronicling Mu Dan's life and his poetry composition, detailing the trials and triumphs he faced.
The author, Zou Hanming, dedicated 17 years to compiling this biography, meticulously researching unpublished archives, wartime documents, letters, memoirs and diaries. He also conducted in-depth interviews with Mu Dan scholars, fellow poets and close friends. The book, which contains 60 rare historical photographs, paints a vividly detailed portrait of the subject's life.
