REVISITING ancient Chinese poems not only brings aesthetic pleasure, but sharpens people’s awareness of problems facing the modern-day world as well, said British writer Tim Clissold, author of the critically acclaimed “Mr. China.”

His latest book “Cloud Chamber,” a collection of English translations of Chinese poems, was published earlier in 2022.

The Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties were a golden age for Chinese literature, art, science and philosophy.

“The topics that ancient poets were concerned about are still relevant today,” Clissold said.

He cited Liu Zongyuan (773-819), who wrote a poem about excessive logging, Bai Juyi (772-846), whose works on tax evasion bring to mind social inequalities in the British society, and Du Fu (712-770), whose works on exile and displacement make readers reflect on the plight of the large number of refugees in Europe and elsewhere.

Reading ancient Chinese poems and getting acquainted with Chinese culture not only make people more empathetic toward those who suffer, but also sheds light on how to settle conflicts, he said.

“The best way to solve a problem is without the need for having conflict,” he said, quoting “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

“The Chinese always try to solve problems in an amicable way,” he said.

“Zero-sum game is kind of the Western perspective on many issues. And it has been proven over the last few decades that Western countries are much quicker to resort to force — and it’s a failure.”

He said there are things in the Chinese society that the Westerners will always find difficult to understand, as a result of their different cultural and historical backgrounds.

“But I think that the basic needs and desires of Chinese people are very, very similar to Western people. You want a peaceful environment where you can develop your own life,” he said.

He praised what China has achieved over the past four decades as an “amazing achievement.”

“I don’t think that is properly recognized in the Western press.”

(Xinhua)