“Also All” by Shu Ting

Biography of Shu-Ting Her real name Gong Peiyu (龔佩瑜) Shu Ting was born in Jinjiang, Fujian China in the year of 1952. Her parents were middle-class and suffered in various campaigns that led up to the Cultural Revolution. When she was young, her education was discontinued because of the Cultural Revolution. Ting, like other young people of her generation, was sent to work in the countryside before she finished her secondary education. She worked in the countryside for three years. When she returned to Fujian in 1973, she worked in factories such as the light bulb factory, or textile factories where she worked for eight years. (Shu Ting far left at poet festival 1986)

Because of her previous experiences, she began her interest in writing poetry. When she started writing, her work was published in several literary magazines Jintian (today). In the early 1980’s, she was a leading female representative of the Misty Poets. The Misty Poets reacted against the harsh restrictions of the Cultural Revolution. She is one of the best-known female poets of contemporary in China. She was asked to join the official Chinese Writers Association and won the national outstanding poetry award in 1981 and 1983. Her poems became popular in the early 1980’s, particularly, her love poems. Other poems were based on nature and she would primarily use personification and/ or allusion. There was a time where she felt depressed/upset in the year of 1989. She felt she would never be able to write again. But when she went to Germany, she acquired a new inspiration and she wrote her last poem. Her last poems published, The Mist of My Heart: selected poems was translated and published in 1995 and she is now devoted to writing essays. Wrote her poem “Also All” as in response to “All” by Bei Dao.

The Cultural Revolution Led by Mao Zedong (Chairman Of Communist Party in China) Social and political movement in China. Lasted from 1966 to 1976. It’s stated goal was to preserve Communist ideology and Maoist ideals. The communist government didn’t work well with intellectuals and artist. Made people originally from the communist government disappointed, and were forced to isolate in the countryside.

Misty Poets Bei Dao is most notable poet in the group. A group of 20th century Chinese poets who reacted against the restrictions on art during the Cultural Revolution. Writers and artist artwork were political. The work they would do was based on the idea of Realism. They were a anti-communist group. Their poetry was often relatively compliant and realistic. have definition of complaint!!!!!!!!!

Biography of Bei Dao He was born in August 1949 in Beijing. He joined the “Red Guards” but soon left because he disagreed with the communist government. These members heavily enforced Mao Zedong’s “Little Red Book” about his political views on how China should be ran. He was sent to the countryside to work & there he began to embrace his artistic side. Began writing poetry in 1969. Dao participated in the notorious Tiananmen protest in 1976. Dao’s poetry was used by pro-democracy protesters during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.

“All” All is fated, all is cloudy, all an endless beginning, all a search for what vanishes, all joys grave, all tearless, every speech a repetition, every meeting a first encounter, all love buried in the heart, all history imprisoned in a dream, all hope hedged with doubt, all faith drowned in lamentation. Every explosion heralds an instant of stillness, every death reverberates forever. -Bei Dao

“Also All” Not all trees are felled by storms. Not every seed finds barren soil. Not all the wings of dream are broken, nor is all affection doomed to wither in a desolate heart. No, not all is as you say Not all flames consume themselves, shedding no light on other lives. Not all starts announce the night and never dawn. Not every song will drift past every ear and heart No, not all is as you say. Not every cry for help is silenced, nor every loss beyond recall. Not every chasm spells disaster. Not only the weak will be brought to their knees, nor every soul be trodden under. It won’t all end in tears and blood. Today is heavy with tomorrow— the future was planted yesterday. Hope is a burden all of us shoulder though we might stumble under the load. -Shu Ting

Also All Diction - Negative Connotation KEY: - Positive Connotation Not all trees are felled by storms. Not every seed finds barren soil. Not all the wings of dream are broken, nor is all affection doomed to wither in a desolate heart. No, not all is as you say Not all flames consume themselves, shedding no light on other lives. Not all starts announce the night and never dawn. Not every song will drift past every ear and heart No, not all is as you say. Not every cry for help is silenced, nor every loss beyond recall. Not every chasm spells disaster. Not only the weak will be brought to their knees, nor every soul be trodden under. It won’t all end in tears and blood. Today is heavy with tomorrow— the future was planted yesterday. Hope is a burden all of us shoulder though we might stumble under the load. KEY: - Negative Connotation - Positive Connotation - To be defined...

Diction Vocab. Felled- to cut or stitch down Desolate- to make a place in a state of emptiness and despair/ a place depressingly bleak Wither- to cause harm or destruction to Trodden- (past participle of tread) the way someone walks Chasm- an overwhelming difference in others interests, beliefs, emotions, etc. Burden- a heavy load/ the gist of someone’s beliefs, interests, emotions, etc. - By structuring her poem the way she did, Ting contradicts herself in every line. She uses a negative word to describe the positive in line. By using not, nor or never, the lines become more clear that they are positive.

Literary Devices Repetition: Metaphor: “Not every tree…” “Not all seeds…” Not all wings…” Shu Ting used “Not all” throughout the poem to argue that even though there were negative and tragic events that occurred, there was still a positive outcome inside all the negativity. Refrain: “No, not all is as you say”. (this is used twice in the poem) She emphasizes her disbelief of Bei Dao’s thoughts in “All” about everything being unchangeable. Metaphor: “Today is heavy with tomorrow the future was planned yesterday.” The metaphor is showing how no matter what happens that day there is always something that causes better things to look forward to in the tomorrow. Personification: “Not all flames consume themselves.” “Not every chasm spells disaster.” Chasm and Flames are two inanimate objects that can’t control their actions or motives but Shu Ting gives them that ability through personification.

Literary Devices Cont. Imagery: “Not all trees are felled by storms.” “Not all the wings of dream are broken, nor is all affection doomed to wither in a desolate heart.” She uses nature as an example and metaphor to represent everyone’s pride being diminished by the red guard. The dreams of the people and hopes in their hearts do not disappear even though their hearts are weakened. Irregular rhyme scheme and the structure consists of multiple couplets

Theme & Tone Purpose Theme: Misfortunes in our lives are invariable however you should always look at the bright side of things and bring positivity out of the negativity. (Yin/Yang) Tone: Optimism, hopeful, positiveness, confidence The purpose is to overcome a, what seems to be, impossible uprising and become more than what you already are. Her response is to provoke a revolution in her community to change the government and moral of her fellow citizens.

Analysis “Also All” is a response to another “misty poet” Bei Dao’s work, All Dao is pessimistic and is going on about how "everything is fated" All the good in the world is oppressed and put down by the Cultural Revolution Being oppressed by the government’s restrictions affected people's mindset in negative ways Everything is supposed to be taken literally Shu Ting is encouraging others to keep trying, because the bad that is happening will eventually be settled, their loss will be recouped The Cultural Revolution limited freedom of speech

Quiz What did Shu Ting work in before she became a poet? Misty Poets Artist Magazine publicist Factories When was the first time she won the National Outstanding Award? 1969 1981 1980 1950 The Culture Revolution was led by ____________________. Mao Zedong Bei Dao Shu Ting No one From what years did the Cultural Revolution last? !966-1976 1950-1955 1940-1966 1966-1967 The overwhelming theme of the poem is _________________. 6. What is the definition of Felled? 7. List the five literary devices. 8. Bei Dao’s supported the belief that things are set in stone, no change. a. True b. False 9. The moral of “Also All” is optimistic. 10. The Cultural Revolution was a social & political movement in China.