Taken to Heart: 70 poems from the Chinese

Name: Taken to Heart: 70 poems from the Chinese
Brand: Unknown
SKU: 9781945680588
Price: 34.99 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Series: Companions for the Journey

0.0 (0 reviews)

Summary

Taken to Heart: 70 poems from the Chinese is a stunning anthology presenting seventy classical Chinese poems spanning over a millennium, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing. These masterpieces meld beauty and simplicity to evoke landscapes both intimate and vast. Originally used to teach Mandarin and introduce young learners to China's rich literary history, the translations stay true to the originals' emotional and musical essence, preserving the poems' structure line by line.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Taken to Heart: 70 poems from the Chinese. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

An ideal selection for poetry enthusiasts, students of Chinese literature and language, and readers interested in exploring classical Eastern culture through accessible and faithful English translations.

BOARD GAMES 31 Oct 2026

Costumes, Chaos & Board Games: A Book Hero Halloween

Halloween at Book Hero was full of costumes, laughter, and a little bit of chaos!...

Toys and Books for Pretend Play (Part 1)

From Hape to Melissa & Doug to Bluey, and a whole bunch more, there are...

FICTION 29 Oct 2026

New Reads to add to your TBR

Fiction and Non Fiction are both pulling some big punches this week with a number...

COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES 29 Oct 2026

Talking all things Romantasy with John Campbell on RNZ!

The latest book in a viral series has had some New Zealanders queuing up at...

NEW HERO ALERT 29 Oct 2026

New Hero Alert! Meet Shannon - our new Warehouse Sidekick

Meet Shannon, one of our newest Warehouse Sidekicks! With a background in inwards goods and...

Description

These seventy poems are masterpieces from over a thousand years of classical Chinese poetry. Beauty and simplicity meld to convey an astounding landscape with both enchanting details and breathtaking vastness. The poems constitute an anthology, given to Chinese school children as a text to aid their instruction in Mandarin, and to introduce them to China's rich literary history.

The poems are considered representative of China's highest poetic achievements from the Han Dynasty to the Qing. We have striven to mirror the emotional state and the musical values of the originals. We chose to translate line by line, and have eschewed jumbling lines within individual poems.

Taken to Heart: 70 Poems from the Chinese highlights the beauty and restrained elegance of these classic works, offering readers an engaging window into the literary traditions of China.

Series: Companions for the Journey

View all

A House By Itself: Selected Haiku of Shiki

"Shiki's distinctive vision and direct expression make a tone recognizably his own, conveyed beautifully in these pages' translations. We hear Shiki's haiku as the voice of a friend bringing complex news in a few intimate words. These haiku are drawn from a world that feels close to our own, and they bring our own lives and world closer. Shiki's poems...

Paperback

$34⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Taken to Heart: 70 poems from the Chinese

These seventy poems are masterpieces from over a thousand years of classical Chinese poetry. Beauty and simplicity meld to convey an astounding landscape with both enchanting details and breathtaking vastness. The poems constitute an anthology, given to Chinese school children as a text to aid their instruction in Mandarin, and to introduce them to China's rich literary history. The poems...

Paperback

Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Yun Wang, author of The Book of Mirrors, praises the collection as an inspiring journey of discovery and enrichment, highlighting the enchanting detail and breathtaking scope of the poems. Deng Ming-Dao, renowned author of 365 Tao, lauds the editors for their faithful yet beautifully crafted English translations, recommending the book as a timeless treasure to revisit year after year.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781945680588

Publisher: White Pine Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 December 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: White Pine Press

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

Translated by Yanwen Xu
Translated by Gary Young

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 177.0mm

Height: 127.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 120

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction Poetry Series: Companions for the Journey

About the Author

Gary Young is the author of several collections of poetry. His most recent books are That's What I Thought, winner of the Lexi Rudnitsky Editor's Choice Award from Persea Books, and Precious Mirror, translations from the Japanese. His other books include Even So: New and Selected Poems; Pleasure; No Other Life, winner of the William Carlos Williams Award; Braver Deeds, winner of the Peregrine Smith Poetry Prize; Days; The Dream of a Moral Life, which won the James D. Phelan ward; and Hands. He has received a Pushcart Prize, and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, and the Vogelstein Foundation among others. In 2009 he received the Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America. He teaches creative writing and directs the Cowell Press at UC Santa Cruz.

Yanwen Xu was born in Xuzhou, China. He now studies Computer Science and writes at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

More from Arts & Culture

View all

Dylan's Pick

Bold Types

A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...

By Jane Ussher

Hardback

$59⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$70⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

I’ll Believe in Anything

From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes I’ll Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll...

By Jacob Tierney

Hardback

$54⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$60⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
On Sale
16% off
New Release

Shirl's Pick

Home Again

Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...

By Jon Toogood

Paperback

$27⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$39⁹⁹~~

(1)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
On Sale
20% off

The Odyssey

Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....

By Homer

Paperback

$24⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$35⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook

Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...

By Monique Fiso

Hardback

$44⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$52⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
On Sale
21% off

The Iliad

When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...

By Homer

Paperback

$26⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$37⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

A Life in Lyrics

Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...

By Freddie Mercury

Hardback

$50⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$65⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

Birdlands

A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...

By Edin Whitehead

Hardback

$41⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$50⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
On Sale
21% off

This Angry Pen of Mine

This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...

By Layne Staley

Hardback

$58⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$89⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Artist's Way

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...

By Julia Cameron

Paperback

$37⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$45⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

Beautiful Chaos

Featuring five exclusive new poems, this stunning foil-embossed hardback edition is a collector's item and a gorgeous gift. The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller. Selected poems on motherhood from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'Reading Jess's poems makes me feel like she's somehow reached into my own personal reflections and articulated them in a way I never could.' –...

By Jessica Urlichs

Hardback

$32⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$40⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Mah Jong Player's Companion

Since the arrival on the market of Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney's two previous books, The Game of Mah Jong Illustrated and Improve Your Mah Jong, a wide range of hands from many parts of the world has been sent to them. In this player's companion, the authors have put together a cross-filled reference guide where over 120 hands, illustrated...

By Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney

Paperback

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

(1)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.