Yuan Mei was not only the most popular poet of the Ch'ing Dynasty (eighteenth century), but the most popular poet in the 2500-year history of classical Chinese poetry. Not only did he dare to promote poetry by women at a time when it was suppressed, he also wrote on forbidden subjects, such as homosexuality and the treatment of the poor. The ch'an perspective combined with his self-effacing good humor make him unique in the annals of Chinese poetry.
"Jerome Seaton is the finsest living translator and explicator of Chinese poetry. Beyond a genius for interpretation and impeccable scholarship, Seaton has that quality that can magically transcend intuition and learning: he is a poet." -Carolyn Kizer