I Have Forsaken Heaven & Earth, but Never Forsaken You

The book includes seventy poems translated from MA Hui’s rewriting of Tsangyang Gyatso’s poetry. Gyatso was Tibet’s sixth Dalai Lama and is well known for his love poems. MA captures the imagery and subjects of Gyatso’s poetry, and speaks meaningfully about love, religion, life, death, power, worldly success, and the art of poetry to contemporary Chinese readers who often find themselves trapped in the relentless pursuit of wealth and fame in today’s globalized world. My translation recognizes the universal nature of these subjects and anticipates their resonance with many who wish to savour the beauty of love, to meditate on the complexities of the human condition, to feel both perplexed and enlightened in paradoxical moments, and to envision connection and spiritual kinship across national, religious, and cultural borders. My version is committed to remaining loyal to the spirit of the original and making the verses aesthetically appealing to my readers.