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Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3566 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
| If only |
Written by Fledermaus (3487 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
Hi BBS.
It's about Shi Huangdi, the king of Qin who conquered all remaining states of China and declared himself 'Son of Heaven' and ruler of 'Everything under Heaven'. He's often represented as a merciless ruler, but meanwhile he is also the one that brought an end to the Warring states period... |
Now I see..
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3566 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
.. it was about something more specific but I'm still uncomfortable about peace being brought about by means of mass slaughter no matter now well intentioned.
How many tons of explosive where dropped on Iraq in the name of freedom? I suppose it's OK if you're top dog like Shi Huangdi or Goerge Bush but it's no fun for the peasants. Plus sa change it seems from your poem. Was that your message? |
Written by Phil (6959 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
History's a bugger isn't it?
Pleasant piece - but it does raise all sorts of questions.
Phil. |
Written by Fledermaus (3487 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
Thanks BBS,
The main idea was that history isn't black-and-white. Shi Huangdi did terrible things, but if he had not done some of them, what other things would have happened? The Warring States weren't exactly pleasant for the peasants either.
History is neither good or bad, it just is.
Shi Huangdi could be seen both as an a tyrant that buried his opponents alive or as a man that brought centuries of violence and destruction to an end, a bit similar to Iulius Caesar or Charlemagne. Were they great rulers with a vision that shaped today's world, or merciless warlords? A bit of both I think...
I didn't have any comparison to today's world in mind, but I think that only the future can make out how today's kings and warlords are going to be remembered. |
Written by Fledermaus (3487 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
Thanks Phil.
Your post crossed my answer to BBS.
What it boils down to is that I think history usually isn't good or bad, and that even after thousands of years it is hard to judge. |
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3566 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
"History is neither good or bad, it just is."
I'm not sure that is strictly true as history is always written by the victors and, conseqentially, tends to be a tad partial. A terrorist becomes a freedom fighter if his side wins and your'e surely not claiming that Shi Huangdi's motives were atruistic? History is all about the way you tell it; it never just ,is. Have another look at 1984 if you need convincing.
Funny how all this comes from a little Haiku
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Written by Fledermaus (3487 comments posted) 12th February 2008 |
Thanks again BBS.
That's exactly what I meant, that history is about the way it's told. The idea for this poem came from watching the movie Hero, were an assassin decides not to kill Shi Huangdi when he has the chance. In that movie he is presented as a man with a vision of bringing peace, destined to rule over "All under Heaven" (天下 . All very romanticized of course, but it seems to contradict nicely with the usual image of a power-hungry king that tried to destroy Confucianism and had his slaves, wives and concubines sacrificed when he died.
This positive image of him and the 'what if' scenario in that film made me think... After more than 2000 years, how much can we still know about this man and his motives? all we know is the result... |
Haiku
Written by petetheverse (164 comments posted) 13th February 2008 |
Hi,
Coming away from the content - which has been liberally discussed already, and to write about an eastern king in haiku makes sense, clearly - I am afraid that I myself find that Haiku is so foreign to the English tongue and poetic past, so stilted, that very, very rarely does it 'reach' the 'inner me'.
Not a new comment about Haiku, generally, I am sure - it is one of those forms which are argued about in poetry groups & classes; and elsewhere; with no satisfactory outcome.
So, sorry, not for me.
Interesting, though, that watching a film has this result! Can you write us a poem about 'Gone With The Wind'?
Pete |
Written by Fledermaus (3487 comments posted) 13th February 2008 |
Hi Pete.
As you seem to like good grammar, I can see why you dislike this, for the first two lines could make up a sentence together, and the last two could, but all three together do not (as there would be one subject too many). Gone with the wind? ashamed to admit it, but I never saw it.
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