I have a clear concept about my book since the beginning, the next step is finding resources. First of all is the poems. Thanks to internet, I find all I need at University of Virginia's website, with both Chinese and English translation. I don't even need to type anything, just copy and paste, every thing goes smoothly so far.

After reading the translations I feel a little bit uncomfortable, because it lost the flavour of the original Chinese version, then I start to look for the best translation.

As for the images in my book, I have to say I have checked all books at both York and public library, but they are far from enough. Then I put my eyes to UT, whenever I can't find books at York, I can always find them there.

Here is the link to Home of 300 Tang Poems

It is time to sit down and write something about my book, from the very beginning to the finish product.

Guided by my mother, I was exposed to Chinese classical poems since very young. Becasuse the poems were very short and rhymed, so it was easy for me to memorize, although I didn't know the meaning at all.

After entering elementary school, teachers started to teach us those poems, word by word. Since then I knew the meaning, just like knowing how to write a new word.

At middle school, teachers asked us to feel the poems by using imagination, becasue there were pictures inside. But I still didn't see the pictures at that time. Don't know since when, maybe from high school, images started to float into my mind, and I just realized how beautiful they are.

I won't say everything is in control right now, because time is a big issue to me. I won't say that I am a perfectionist, but I do want to make a good book. It would be much easier and more freedom if I just do the Chinese version, right now I have to compromise with the sources I can find.

I haven't written my blog for quite a few days, and there are so many details need to be done, like searching for the best translation and then matching the content with the right images, finding paper, doing layout, etc. I start to worry about my book now.

chinese calligraphy