Reading an anthology of Classical Chinese poetry, my sister Beth finds that war is a prevalent topic, but she is astonished at how the Chinese write about it in a way that is worlds apart from the Japanese or Irish. Early Japanese verse touches upon war only obliquely, and when it does it is elegant. The early Irish, in what battle verse they have, seem to use it in support of their prose sagas, which are written in celebration of the upper-class warrior culture. Chinese poems often have a vivid poet, a reporter on the scene; early Chinese war poetry is bitter, poignant, and immediate.

Here are translations from two Chinese folk songs from the 2nd to 1st c. BCE:

They Dragged me off at Fifteen to War

When brush-fire burns in wild land
wild ducks set out in depths of sky,

and when young men marry widows,
girls wail with such killing laughter.

…

The dragged me off at fifteen to war.
Now I’m eighty going back.
…

I wander out the gate and stand there
gazing east, tears staining these robes.

AND

We Fought South of the Wall

We fought south of the wall
and died north of the city,
died in wild lands, bodies left unburied, food for crows.

Crows — tell them this for us
we were brave, all of us who
died in wild lands, our bodies just left there, unburied.
Don’t worry. Now our flesh is rotting, we can’t avoid your beaks.

Deep water flows on and on,
rushes and reeds full of shadow…

____________________

When reading The Tain, watch the verse. See whether you think it operates essentially in support of the prose – most critics seem to suggest that it does. Is there irony within the verse? Can it be construed as a commentary against war? Certainly Deirdriu’s final poetic statements can be seen as negative comments upon Conchobur and his “court,” but she has personal reason to be bitter. Does the commentary move beyond her perspective? Do you think contemporary readers embraced it?