Book excerpt: An eighth century Tang dynasty poet, Li Bai was acclaimed from his own lifetime to the present day, composing short poems celebrating the pleasures of friendship, the beauty of nature, the importance of solitude and the joys of drinking. The compelling magic of his elegant and yet short verses have won for Li Bai an enduring admiration over the centuries, fortifying his status as a romantic legend, who took traditional poetic forms to new heights, while always conscious of the great and timeless tradition behind him. The Delphi Poets Series offers readers the works of literature’s finest poets, with superior formatting. This volume presents Li Bai’s collected works, with rare translations, illustrations and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Li Bai’s life and works * Concise introduction to Li Bai’s life and poetry * Excellent formatting of the poems * Multiple translations of Li Bai’s verses * Includes Herbert A. Giles’ translations, the first to be published in the West, digitised here for the first time * Easily locate the poems you want to read * Features a special Contextual Pieces section — learn about the development of classic Chinese literature * Includes Arthur Waley’s biography Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to see our wide range of poet titles CONTENTS: The Life and Poetry of Li Bai Brief Introduction: Li Bai Translations by Herbert A. Giles (1898) Translations by Arthur Waley (1919) Translations by Amy Lowell (1921) Anonymous Translations The Contextual Pieces A History of Chinese Literature (1901) by Herbert A. Giles Introduction to Chinese Poetry (1918) by Arthur Waley Life of Li Po by Arthur Waley (1919)