"Porter's knowledge of the subject and his curation of the poems make this book well worth reading for travelers and poetry readers alike." – Publishers Weekly
"Porter's tone is not reverential but explanatory, and filled with humorous asides... His goal is to tell interested foreigners about revealing byways of Chinese culture." – New York Review of Books
"A lifetime devoted to understanding Chinese culture and spirituality blossoms within its pages to create something truly rare." – Los Angeles Review of Books
"This book is handsomely produced, brilliantly and usefully annotated, and filled with lines that achieve a casual and compressed balance." – Los Angeles Times
"It's hard to choose favorite [poems]. Rather, certain lines and images and stanzas have a way of choosing you." – Coldfront