Pilgrim of the Clouds: Poems and Essays from Ming Dynasty China

Yuan Hung-tao (1568–1610) was the greatest poet of Ming dynasty China. His poetry and essays brilliantly exhibit an originality and vitality that were lacking in the writing of his contemporaries. The writings of Yuan and his two brothers reveal these men to have been individualists who made outstanding contributions to the growth and development of poetry, presenting a penetrating picture of Ming society.

Jonathan Chaves, B.A. Brooklyn College, 1965; M.A. Columbia University, 1966; PhD Columbia University, 1971, is a Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He is a translator of classic Chinese poetry.