Note: The printed edition is now bilingual Chinese-English version.The quarterly journal of 21st Century Chinese Poetry was founded with the intention of introducing modern Chinese poetry to readers worldwide. Modern Chinese poetry was born from the broader intellectual movement that took place in China in the early part of the 20th century, known as the May-Fourth Movement (1917-1921); for the first time in history, vernacular Chinese was accepted as a legitimate poetic voice. Since then, nearly a century has passed by and this poetic experiment hasn't stopped evolving but only accelerated recently because of the easy exchange of styles and ideas over cyberspace. This is an eye-opening, exciting and even confounding experience for both the poets and the readers.The editor-and-translator team of 21st Century Chinese Poetry selects some of the best poems written in Chinese by today's poets from all geographical areas. This issue includes 24 poems by 9 poets.@The Emperor's Cityby Chen GuiliangI came to the capital city because I was sick of the rainy days in the Chu fiefdom.

Crossing the Yellow River from the wagon, I saw only bleak landscape on either side of the river,people elbowing each other and hollering for money,unlike where I came from, where rivers and lakes seemed to oblige each otherand inspired a poor scholar like me to love its ragged terrain.I used to love farming, and holed up in the shade of the mountain.Neither the city nor its rough outskirts are desirable to me,but I've long since given up writing; now I wear a sword, sell medicine, do whatever it takes.I am only a poor scholar from the Chu country.@Unsightly ScenesBy Li ShangyuThe ancient poet Li Yishan commented on unsightly scenes.He listed thirteen; here I will cite a few of them:hollering through the garden to clear the way for high officials;hanging wet trousers on a rose trellis;raising chickens and ducks under a canopy of flowers.He was definitely a fan of flowers, couldn't stop talking about them.But on this cool spring night, inspired by the moon and winds from afar,who knows why I am thinking about lard, stubborn dirt, and old times.

Those daysthere always seemed to be chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs under the flower trellisesand, as always in this world, the lonely and unexplained outbursts of drinking, crying, and women complaining.@In the Same Dream with the Plum Flowerby Liu SiOnce I saw you in red;that's when you were getting married.The wind came to dress you up with snowflakes;you looked even more radiant in them.Then I saw you in pink,and I thought perhaps you had fallen ill?Enduring the frigid spring winds,you looked feeble and thin.Ah, plum flower, we had better not marry except to the finest.But some time agoyour rosy cheeks began to turn paleuntil finally looking gossamer and greenlike a floral spirit awaiting burial,tattered like shadows under the moon.---This is mein the same dream with the plum flowerand I told her"With everyone to choose from, why did you marry the spring zephyr?"~ 21st Century Chinese Poetry, No.3.