Poets of the Chinese Revolution

This is a book of poems by four veteran Chinese revolutionaries. Chen Duxiu led Chinas early cultural awakening before founding the Communist Party in 1921. Mao led the Party to power in 1949. Zheng Chaolin, Chen Duxius disciple and, like him, a convert to Trotskyism, spent thirty-four years in jail, first under the Nationalists and then under Mao. The guerrilla Chen Yi wrote poems in mountain bivouacs or the heat of battle. All wrote in the classical style, which Mao Zedong officially proscribed, though he and other leaders kept using it. Poetry, especially classical poetry, plays a different role in China, and in Chinese revolution, from in the West it is collective and collaborative. The four poets were entangled with one another in various ways. Chen Duxiu inspired Mao, though Mao later denounced him. Mao and Zheng joined the leadership under Chen Duxiu in the 1920s, though Mao later gaoled Zheng. The maverick Chen Yi was Zhengs associate in France and Maos comrade-in-arms in China, but he clashed with the Maoists in the Cultural Revolution. Together, the four poets illustrate the complex relationship between Communist revolution and Chinese cultural tradition.

About the author

Mao Zedong, Chen Duxiu, Zheng Chaolin and Chen Yi

Summary

How poetry and revolution meshed in Red China

Product details

• Authors: Gregor Benton, Mao Zedong
• Assisted by: Gregor Benton (Editor), Benton Gregor (Editor), Feng Chongyi (Editor), Feng Chongyi (Translation), Chongyi Feng (Translation)
• Publisher: Verso
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 05.03.2019
• EAN: 9781788734684
• ISBN: 978-1-78873-468-4
• No. of pages: 320
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology; China, HISTORY / Asia / China, POETRY / Asian / Chinese, Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Literary studies: poetry and poets