Willow, Wine, Mirror, Moon

Women's Poems from Tang China

BOA Editions
Translated by Jeanne Larsen
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This collection of 106 poems by 44 female Tang-era poets is the most comprehensive of its kind. Poets are organized based on their status in Tang dynasty society: women of the court, women of the household, courtesans and entertainers, and women of religion. While each poet’s concerns vary with their social status, common thematic threads include heartbreak and the mysteries of the natural world. Thumbnail biographies of each poet and notes regarding individual poems complete this important collection.

Jeanne Larsen has published poetry, three novels set in China, and a book of poetry translation, Brocade River Poems: Selected Works of the Tang Dynasty Courtesan Xue Tao. She teaches in the creative writing program at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.

Contributor Bio

Jeanne Larsen has published three novels set in China and has translations in many recent anthologies of traditional Chinese poetry. Her first book of poetry translation was Brocade River Poems: Selected Work of the Tang Dynasty Courtesan Xue Tao. She teaches in the creative writing program at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.