n nWei Ying-Wu was undoubtedly one of the great Tang poets, yet his work is much less well known in the West than that of Li Po, Tu Fu, and Po Chu-i. Now Red Pine (the lovely pen name that the American poet and Chinese scholar Bill Porter assumes for his translation work) celebrates Weis life and achievement in a big new anthology, In Such Hard Times...Reading him is like listening to Mozart, theres something healing about the calm profundity with which he spins pain and disaster.--Los Angeles Timesn n[Translator] Red Pines out-of-the-mainstream work is uncanny and clearheaded.--Kyoto Journaln nRed Pines succinct and informative notes for each poem are core samples of the cultural, political, and literary history of China.--Asian Reportern nWei Ying-wu (737-791) is considered one of the great poets of the Tang Dynasty, ranked alongside such poets as Tu Fu, Li Pai, and Wang Wei. Strangely, though, only a handful of Wei Ying-wus poems have ever been translated into English.n nTrue to his reputation as one of the worlds leading translators of Chinese, Red Pine (a.k.a. Bill Porter) translates 175 of Weis poems and demonstrates why he is one of the worlds great poets. Presented in a bilingual Chinese-English format, with extensive notes and an informative introduction, In Such Hard Times is a long-overdue world premiere.n nA courtyard of bamboo in the snow at midnight n a lone lantern a book on my table n if I hadnt encountered the teachings of inaction n how else could I have gained this life of leisuren nWei Ying-wu (737-791) is considered one of the great poets of the Tang Dynasty. Born into an aristocratic family in decline, Wei served in several government posts without distinction. He disdained the literary establishment of his day and fashioned a poetic style counter to the mainstream: one of profound simplicity centered in the natural world.n nRed Pine (a.k.a. Bill Porter) is one of the worlds leading translators of Chinese literary and religious texts.n n n