Clouds Thick, Whereabouts Unknown: Poems by Zen Monks of China (Book Review‪)‬

Clouds Thick, Whereabouts Unknown: Poems by Zen Monks of China. Edited and translated by Charles Egan (illustrations by Charles Chu). New York: Columbia University Press, 2010. Pp. xviii + 306, illus. $99.50 (cloth); $29.50 (paper). The relationship between Chan Buddhism and poetry goes back a long way in China. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the starting point of Charles Egan's new anthology of translations, Chan monks often wrote poems to express their understanding of Buddhist truth. The variety of this verse reflects the variety of roles played by monks in Chinese society. It ranges from didactic ditties in the vernacular, aimed at a popular audience, to evocative lyric poems in the refined language of the literati. A few are among the best-loved poems in the tradition; most, however, never gained recognition as literature, and have been little studied or appreciated. "This is a shame," Egan writes, "as poetry from the monasteries comprises a distinct tradition of rich imagery and profound reflection, spiced liberally with wit and humor" (p. 3). His anthology presents translations of 190 poems by Chinese Chan monks of the eighth to the seventeenth centuries, framed by an extensive introduction and detailed notes. Above all, it aims to promote understanding and appreciation of these diverse poems by situating them within a religious context.