The Selected Poems of Li Po Audiobook By Li Po, Po Li, David Hinton, Bai Li cover art

The Selected Poems of Li Po

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The Selected Poems of Li Po

By: Li Po, Po Li, David Hinton, Bai Li
Narrated by: David Shih
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Li Po (AD 701-762) lived in T'ang Dynasty China, but his influence has spanned the centuries: the pure lyricism of his poems has awed readers in China and Japan for over a millennium, and through Ezra Pound’s translations, Li Po became central to the modernist revolution in the West. His work is suffused with Taoism and Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism, but these seem not so much spiritual influences as the inborn form of his life.

There is a set-phrase in Chinese referring to the phenomenon of Li Po: "Winds of the immortals, bones of the Tao." He moved through this world with an unearthly freedom from attachment, and at the same time belonged profoundly to the earth and its process of change. However ethereal in spirit, his poems remain grounded in the everyday experience we all share. He wrote 1,200 years ago, half a world away, but in his poems we see our world transformed.

Legendary friends in eighth-century T'ang China, Li Po and Tu Fu are traditionally celebrated as the two greatest poets in the Chinese canon. David Hinton’s translation of Li Po’s poems is no less an achievement than his critically acclaimed The Selected Poems of Tu Fu, also published by New Directions. By reflecting the ambiguity and density of the original, Hinton continues to create compelling English poems that alter our conception of Chinese poetry.

©1996 New Directions (P)2017 TalkingBook Poetry Classics Asian Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature World Literature Literary History & Criticism Chinese Poetry

Featured Article: The Best Poetry Audiobooks to Listen to for National Poetry Month


It’s a common turn of phrase that poetry is meant to be heard. Tone, pauses, cadence, and vocal inflections all serve to further the emotional pull of modern and historical poetic masterpieces. In audio, poems can be heard and enjoyed just as the poet meant them to be. Taking into account not only the words themselves but the way they are spoken, our list provides a look at the power behind a poem, celebrating those works which have touched our souls.

Featured Article The Best Poetry Audiobooks to Listen to for National Poetry Month
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If you could sum up The Selected Poems of Li Po in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating. Refreshing. Graceful.

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I found this to be beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable. The narrator did a wonderful job with Li Po's text. I would highly recommend this. *****

Deeply moving

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Cool to see something like LI PO done so professionally. Love the introduction. Great reading from David Shih. Get this one.

Classic Work, Great Actor

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Two thumbs up for David Shih. Not enough great poetry on Audible. This is great.

Wonderful

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Daivd Shih does a tremendous job with this material. Great for morning drives before work. Puts your mind at ease. Beautiful.

Really Great

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His appreciation for the Beauties of Nature encourages a stillness in the Soul we don’t find in many places today.

Shih has the perfect voice to enhance the experience. Very comforting.

Great Listen to Bring On Serenity

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