China and its poetry

One time I was asked, what is in China 's culture that I like most. I said, its poetry.

For if there's one thing that to me, stands out, it is its poetry, for the Chinese by nature, are poetic. Mao Tze Tung, in launching his Cultural Revolution, hoping for a diversity of thought, said, “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a thousand thoughts contend.” You should have read his poems in his Long March.

The classical language – the language in which literature is written – differs from the modern language. The poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer, has to be edited to make it more understandable today. And he lived only in the 13 th century.

In my study, the Chinese language being written in character does not change much except in some pronunciation. Mao is now Mao Zedong.

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While in Beijing , and later in Shanghai early this year, I wanted to go to its library but was told there were no books in English. I wanted to read especially the poetic writings of scholars on the Silk and later the Hua people of the Middle Kingdom.

Kung Fu Tzu, known by us as Confucius (451-479 B.C.) in his Anaclets, wrote, “I am just the one who was born in the possession of knowledge. I am fond of antiquity and earnest in seeking it there.”

One of the books I treasured was the Anaclets, given to me by Msgr. John B. Liu, knowing my deep interest in China . It was destroyed in 2001, together with my other books and my writings when my house burned down. I also salute Fr. Noli Que. I was told in China , that despite the excellence of Chinese prose, it is its poetry that has a world-wide appeal.

And scholars have been compiling Confucian classics, known as the Shih Ch'ing or the Book of Odes. Another is the Ch'u Tz'u, a compilation of fervent, ecstatic, sometimes extravagant verses during the Chou period.

I'll give you an example translated from the original Chinese, a vision of the mouth of the Yangtze River , seen when the moon was full, with the ocean tide rising, just as the stars begin to appear in the darkening horizon.

“ Evening River – flat, not moving,/ Spring flower, full, just opened,/ Drifting waves go off, carrying moon/ Tidal waves come in girded with stars.”

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Chinese poetry must be promoted, not only for Chinoys here but most especially for Pinoys. For that is where our roots are. Our love for poetry shows the Chinese in us. But it does not mean we will not disagree if we find something to disagree with.

“Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a thousand thoughts contend!”

Writing for Chinese poets of past ages, 9 th century poet Po Chu-i wrote, “Each time that I look at a fine land, I raise my voice and write a stanza of poetry.

Yangtze and the many gorges are the common mistresses of many Chinese poets. Poets have many mistresses. It was a Chinese poet who once wrote, a mistress is the one you love but cannot marry. Western poets call them Muses.

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No country has influenced and brought progress to another country more than China with the overseas Chinese. Let's face it, here in Bacolod and in Negros, whatever critics say, they have improved the Bacolod economy.

But their personal service to the people, to me, shames us Pinoys who are just good in talking. Their volunteer fire brigade, alert during all emergencies are enviable. Help them. They are working for you.

Their contribution to putting up school buildings, houses, and very many more should be recognized. Their participation in the BacoLaodiat, and their joining many causes

Some of them step on some of our sensitive toes. But, conflicts only deepen the friendship. They should have known whose toes they must be careful to step on.

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The foreign policy of Old China was superb. The Emperor would offer gifts, their daughter, a princess, to chieftains of another country. The Emperors had dozens of daughters.

The Chinese style was more effective. One time while touring Malacca in Malaysia , we were brought to “Bukit China ”, the burial ground of a Chinese princess and her maid, one of the wives of the Sultan. That assured Chinese traders access to the Strait of Malacca .

One of the princesses wrote poetry on her being made one of the wives of a foreign potentate. She was a daughter of Emperor Ch'in.

“My household married me off. Oh! under another sky,/ Gave me in custody in a foreign land, Oh! the King of the Wu-sun;/ A vaulted hut for a house, Oh! with felt for wall,/ I use flesh for food, Oh! koumiss for a liqueur,/ Thoughts of my own soil are always with me, Oh! wounded deep in my heart/ I could wish to be a yellow swan, Oh! to return to my old home…”

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Merry Christmas to all!

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