Overview

The meaning of life--as expressed in a single Chinese landscape painting- a new work of meditative philosophy by the renowned translator of the Chinese classics and author of Hunger Mountain. The mystery of existence and our place in that mystery--as expressed in a single Chinese landscape painting- a new work of meditative philosophy by the renowned translator of the Chinese classics and author ofHunger Mountain. Join David Hinton, the premiermodern translator of the Chinese classics, as he stands before a singlelandscape painting, discovering in it the wondrous story of existence-and as part of that story, the magical nature of consciousness. What hecoaxes from the image is nothing less than a revelation- the dynamicinterweaving of mind and Cosmos, and the glorious dance of Absenceand Presence that is the secret of that Cosmos. The painting calledPeaceful-Distance Pavilionby Shih-t'ao (1642-1707) is, like other paintings in that genre, mostly space- one tiny figure, accompanied by an attendant, looks out over a vast landscape of mountains and clouds. But start looking into that space and, with the right guidance, what you end up seeing is profound. David Hinton is the perfect guide. He uses his knowledge of Chinese philosophy, poetry, art, language, and writing system to illuminate this painting's message, which is ultimately the story of the glorious dance between nothing and everything, between emptiness and existence. It's an enthralling journey that can change the way you look at the world, a journey for which David is a wise and eloquent guide.

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9781611803389

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In extraordinarily deft and patient hands, David Hinton delivers us into the unknowable. Using as his guide the Chinese landscape painter Shih T'ao and other sage poet-painter-wanderers, he takes us to the very brink of existence and consciousness, beyond linguistic dualities of past and future, propelled by the life force that drives through us, from one step to the next . . . you can almost hear the footfalls of his thinking and Ch'an practice . . . until we find ourselves in the strange surroundings of empty mind and full heart, and finally, equanimity. It is an uncanny journey, essential for all. -Gretel Ehrlich, author of Facing the Wave and This Cold Heaven A pellucid gem of a book-I couldn't put it down. Through the vision of a single, inexhaustible painting-whose depth opens onto the mysteries of meditation, calligraphy, poetry, and existence itself-Hinton gradually discloses for us the whole vast and fathomless landscape of Taoist and Ch'an (Zen) spirituality. At first we gaze wonder-struck into the many-mountained distance; soon we find ourselves immersed; and then we dissolve into the ch'i-mist drifting up the forested slopes. -David Abram, author of The Spell of the Sensuous [Hinton is a] rare example of a literary Sinologist-that is, a classical scholar thoroughly conversant with, and connected to, contemporary literature in English. -New York Review of Books

In extraordinarily deft and patient hands, David Hinton delivers us intothe unknowable. Using as his guide the Chinese landscape painter ShihT ao and other sage poet-painter-wanderers, he takes us to the very brink ofexistence and consciousness, beyond linguistic dualities of past and future, propelled by the life force that drives through us, from one step to thenext . . . you can almost hear the footfalls of his thinking and Ch an practice . . .until we find ourselves in the strange surroundings of empty mind and fullheart, and finally, equanimity. It is an uncanny journey, essential for all. Gretel Ehrlich, author of Facing the Wave and This Cold Heaven A pellucid gem of a book I couldn t put it down. Through the vision ofa single, inexhaustible painting whose depth opens onto the mysteriesof meditation, calligraphy, poetry, and existence itself Hinton graduallydiscloses for us the whole vast and fathomless landscape of Taoist and Ch an(Zen) spirituality. At first we gaze wonder-struck into the many-mountaineddistance; soon we find ourselves immersed; and then we dissolve into the ch i -mist drifting up the forested slopes. David Abram, author of The Spell of the Sensuous [Hinton is a] rare example of a literary Sinologist that is, a classical scholarthoroughly conversant with, and connected to, contemporary literaturein English. New York Review of Books

In extraordinarily deft and patient hands, David Hinton delivers us into the unknowable. Using as his guide, the Chinese landscape painter, Shih Tao, and other sage poet-painter-wanderers, he takes us to the very brink of existence and consciousness, beyond linguistic dualities of past and future, propelled by the life force that drives through us, from one step to the next . you can almost hear the footfalls of his thinking and Ch an practice until we find ourselves in the strange surroundings of empty mind and full heart, and finally, equanimity. It is an uncanny journey, essential for all. Gretel Ehrlich, author of The Solace of Open Spaces

In extraordinarily deft and patient hands, David Hinton delivers us into the unknowable. Using as his guide the Chinese landscape painter Shih T'ao and other sage poet-painter-wanderers, he takes us to the very brink of existence and consciousness, beyond linguistic dualities of past and future, propelled by the life force that drives through us, from one step to the next . . . you can almost hear the footfalls of his thinking and Ch'an practice . . . until we find ourselves in the strange surroundings of empty mind and full heart, and finally, equanimity. It is an uncanny journey, essential for all. --Gretel Ehrlich, author of Facing the Wave and This Cold Heaven A pellucid gem of a book--I couldn't put it down. Through the vision of a single, inexhaustible painting--whose depth opens onto the mysteries of meditation, calligraphy, poetry, and existence itself--Hinton gradually discloses for us the whole vast and fathomless landscape of Taoist and Ch'an (Zen) spirituality. At first we gaze wonder-struck into the many-mountained distance; soon we find ourselves immersed; and then we dissolve into the ch'i-mist drifting up the forested slopes. --David Abram, author of The Spell of the Sensuous [Hinton is a] rare example of a literary Sinologist--that is, a classical scholar thoroughly conversant with, and connected to, contemporary literature in English. --New York Review of Books

Author Information

David Hinton's many translations of classical Chinese poetry have earned wide acclaim for creating compelling contemporary poems that convey the texture and density of the originals. He is also the first translator in over a century to translate the five seminal masterworks of Chinese philosophy- I Ching, Tao Te Ching,Chuang Tzu,Analects, andMencius. Hinton has received many national awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, both major awards for poetry translation, and most recently, a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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