Tao Qian
Tao Qian

Tao Yuanming returning to seclusion (click to enlarge)
Li Peng, (Chinese, ca. 1060-1110 CE)
Song dynasty, Ink and color on silk (Freer gallery)
Tao Qian (365-427 CE)
Tao Qian (T’ao Ch’ien, Tao Yuanming) — my translations
- Drinking wine
- Returning to Live in the South 1
- Returning to Live in the South 3
- Returning to Live in the South 5
- Pallbearer’s Song
These 5 entries represent all the word-by-word translations of Tao Qian (T’ao Ch’ien, Tao Yuanming) poems I can find. So, as much as I love his poetry, there won’t be any new translations here until I can find another source — or else learn to use the Chinese dictionary resources on the Web — or else until I find an appropriate Chinese collaborator to work with me.
Main topic page: _ Chinese poetry

I see no reason to segregate scientific and technical posts from humanistic ones. In my life, scientific concerns mix with ethical ones, and they shade into a philosophical interest in the nature of cognition and the nature of people. Doing science is as creative as writing fiction, and I get inspiration for both from the same gods.
You will find little here on current politics. I'm activist, but in causes not symptoms. Experience in martial arts shows me that the sure way to lose is reactivity; but if you stay cool and remember your training and what you're there for then you achieve goals and, when conflict is unavoidable, you fight and win. The idea of the liberal arts I was brought up in is that broad understanding of cultures and ideas gives you deeper, better goals -- making success more likely and more satisfying. Negatively, the hysteria since 9/11 shows how a country frightened and reactive can destroy itself more than an enemy can. I'm trying to contribute by changing the terms of discourse. See
One fact shouldn't require special mention; but -- given the nature of the society in which I've grown up and lived -- it often does: namely that I'm gay. You'll see it in some posts and in some links below. I'm proud of being gay and do not hide; more about this on the 


