Begin your journey at chinese-era.sangsara.net
Ancient Chinese poetry exists in a handful of books — a small number of landmark English translations that have defined how the Western world reads Eastern verse. Whereas classical Chinese paintings are scattered around the world: in the collections of private owners, but also museums like the Met, the Smithsonian, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Chinese Era brings them together into the same space, just to see what happens.
Each pairing is a poem and a painting from the past, two treasures in conversation. The random engine produces combinations that no curator would make, creating associations that couldn’t be planned. You can inspect the full artwork, or turn on a live stream of traditional Chinese music — providing a third randomized vector for a truly unrepeatable experience. When you’re ready, hit the ‘next’ arrow for a fresh pairing. If you find one worth sharing, a custom URL can be produced to lock them in.
The poems draw from four translated volumes — by Waley, Giles, Ayscough/Lowell, and Bynner — 631 in total, each translator bringing their own instincts about what Chinese poetry should sound like in English. The number of artworks on display currently runs into the thousands, for over two million possible combinations. It’s a novel way to enjoy these classic poems. If you’re new to these works, congratulations, this just might be the start of your Chinese era.
Leave a Reply