CCCC: Poems from Visitors to Japan in 858: A Foray into the World of Merchants and Monks beyond Tang High Society

Speaker: Greg Sattler, New York University

Title: Poems from Visitors to Japan in 858: A Foray into the World of Merchants and Monks beyond Tang High Society

Abstract: In 858, a group of travelers from throughout East Asia journeyed on a merchant ship from China to Japan. After having traveled together in China and across the high seas for several months, the group gathered in a lodge to bid farewell to the man responsible for bringing them together. At the emotional banquet, poems were composed on behalf of the monk Enchin 円珍 (814–891), who later became head of the Tiantai/Tendai 天台 school of Buddhism in Japan. Enchin’s high status and importance in the history of Japanese Buddhism allowed for the preservation of eighteen of these poems in a document titled Tōjin sōbetsushi narabini sekitoku 唐人送別詩幷尺牘. The poems, mostly written by merchants from southern China, provide some distinctive insights into Tang society through their engagement with the themes of Buddhism, friendship, scenic beauty, and even politics. They also constitute some of the earliest extant writings by merchants in East Asia. In examining these compositions, we will see that although many follow contemporary Chinese trends and conventions, they also offer rare glimpses into the mediocre and imperfect Tang works that are otherwise lost to posterity. This colloquium will welcome a range of perspectives on the poems, focusing not only on how they align with the poetry of the period, but also on the ways in which they might be perceived as subpar, flawed, or below the high standards set by the tiny fraction of esteemed Tang poems preserved in the present day. Of equal importance will be consideration of what these poems can tell us about their writers, local Chinese society, religious exchange, and, broadly speaking, the world in which they were produced.

About Cornell Classical Chinese Colloquium
The group meets monthly during the semester to explore a variety of classical Chinese texts and styles. Other premodern texts linked to classical Chinese in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese have also been explored. Presentations include works from the earliest times to the 20th century. Workshop sessions are led by local, national, and international scholars. Participants with any level of classical Chinese experience are welcome to attend.
o At each session, a presenter guides the group in a reading of a classical Chinese text. Attendees discuss historical, literary, linguistic, and other aspects of the text, working together to resolve difficulties in comprehension and translation.
o No preparation is required; all texts will be distributed at the meeting.
o Refreshments will be served.