All things come around again (Central China blog #1)

 

I can't really remember if my brother-in-law Allan Taylor actually gave this book to me as a child, or if I snuck it out of his library to read (as I did quite a few books back then: my admiration for him was such that I sought any crumb that might tumble of his intellectual table). I am pretty sure he gave the book to me (I still have a copy that looks just like this image: perhaps there's a dedication in it that will clinch it for us--I'll check). I have since loaned the book out once or twice--those I shared it with I'm pretty sure haven't read it--or perhaps better said--weren't really turned on by it (and likely didn't finish it). But this book had a profound impact on my juvenile mind. I so identified with Bǎi Jūyì (the correct Chinese romanization of 白居易) better known still by the Wade-Giles Po Chu-i thanks to the indomitable Arthur Waley, who more or less invented China (at least "old" China) for the West (and definitely for myself). I just looked him up and realize that he was undoubtedly still alive when I read this book--published just a year before I was born. (I was sure it was Edwardian or perhaps even Victorian era--but all things pre-computer are starting to take on that musty smell, don't you agree?

Wild Goose Pavilion in Xi An*

At the height of his official career, Bai Ju-yi lived in Chang-an--now the relatively small large city of Xi An (only 13.7 million people after all) that was capital or China for 13 dynasties (according to Wikipedia). This striking pavilion is one of the remarkably few remnants of the ancient city--there are others, including the most complete city wall of major cities in China. As I looked at this I realized that Bai Juyi, Du Fu and the other rabble of writers I admired had likewise no doubt stood nearby and gazed at pretty much the same scene 1200 years ago.

Here's a part of that city wall--which Bai Juyi wouldn't have recognized since it was radically expanded in the Ming dynasty--six or so centuries after his death. China operates in big numbers.

Du Fu (Tu Fu) China's preeminent poet

Of course, Bai Juyi was hardly the only famous poet who lived in Chang An (Xi An). Du Fu is pretty Universally regarded as the greatest of Ancient Chinese poets, who lived in Chang An at the time of the great An Lushan rebellion when he fled to Chengdu (I tell that story in another blog post you might want to check out). As I child barely into double digits I discovered both these and many other Chinese poets of the Tang dynasty, which made such an enormous impression upon me that I dedicated way too many years at three colleges and Universities (CU Boulder, Middlebury summer school and Cornell) studying both ancient and modern Chinese--and ultimately giving it up. I spent way too many hours (in the thousands) looking up words in Matthews' dictionary and realized along the way I had neither the temperament nor perhaps the aptitude to attain the competence I wanted.

I am at the start still of my sixth visit to China over the last 30 years--so my studies weren't perhaps entirely wasted (I can puzzle out many of the characters on signs and understand a little more every day on each visit so that by the time my trips are over, I've just about restored my knowledge to where it was a half century ago when I applied myself so...much.)

Tomb of Yang Guifei

We did not have time on this trip to drive the hour or so out or Xi An to visit the purported tomb of the most famous of Chinese concubines--Yang Guifei was responsible for so besotting the Emperor Xuanzong that he so miss-managed China that a rebellion broke out (the aforementioned An Lushan rebellion) ultimately leading to the near collapse of the dynasty, the loss of Chang An to the rebels and the execution of Yang Guifei. Much of this has attained an almost mythical status (and has perhaps tenuous connection to what really happened)--largely due to Bai Juyi writing the most romantic of Chinese narrative poems ("The Song of Everlasting Sorrow"). I am a little embarrassed to admit this now, but I once memorized that entire poem (and it's not a short one) in the original Tang Dynasty Chinese...

A scene of "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" performed in Xi An

On the evening of August 30, 2025 ten of us who are participating in "pre" portion of the International Dendrological Society tour of Central China were treated to a surprisingly lavish performance of the story inspired by Bai Juyi's great poem. This picture doesn't even begin to convey the drama, the spectacle of the evening. Giant flames, huge fountain displays, elaborately choreographed ballets, resounding music--gorgeously, diaphanously clad beauties wafting though the ether...explosive battle sequences and much lyrical depiction of the passionate love of the protagonists. I can't imagine what Bai Juyi would have thought of it. I enjoyed it thoroughly...

In a strange sort of way, a meaningful piece of my life has come full circle.

*If you look back at the second image above (which I have asterisked*) you will see a tree in front of the ancient Pavilion. That's the "weeping Sophora" (Styphnolobium japonicum) which has proved to be a terrific (if underutilized) street tree in Denver. a half dozen or more were planted along Josephine Street outside Denver Botanic Gardens over 40 years ago, and they make a wonderful show with their late summer flowers every year. This tree is also popular in China--where you often see the dwarfer weeping form in special settings like here, in front of the ancient pavilion. I was blessed with another mentor in my youth, T. Paul Maslin--a great biologist who taught at the University of Colorado and was my best friend and companion in my twenties. He was born and grew up in China and visited frequently after Nixon opened China up. He loved the weeping sophora and was mystified why it seemed not to exist in Denver (or elsewhere in the US as far as he knew for that matter). There is in fact a spectacular specimen in City Park I was shown 3 decades after Paul had passed away. The great dwarf conifer grower, Dennis Hermsen from Iowa gifted Denver Botanic Gardens a fine specimen that now stands in our Romantic Garden....I think I may have to illustrate this in a whole Blog Post of its own--but here another piece of my life has come full circle again! Good things happen if you live long enough!