Biography of Du Mu

Author: Miao Cheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: Du Mu was skilled in discussing military matters, seemingly inheriting the legacy of his great-great-great-grandfather Du Yu. However, Du Mu rarely mentioned Du Yu in his writings, unlike Du Fu, who deeply admired his great-great-grandfather and often expressed this admiration in his works. Du Mu, on the other hand, was significantly influenced by his grandfather Du You. When writing a biography, one should learn to apply Marxist and Mao Zedong Thought theories to describe and judge the subject's life. Du Mu was a renowned poet and prose writer of the late Tang Dynasty. He held progressive political views, and his collected works Fanchuan Collection contain many poems and essays that reflect certain historical realities of the Tang Dynasty, as well as numerous personal works expressing emotions and sentiments. The artistic quality is quite high, with a unique style. This biography aims to chronicle Du Mu's life, focusing on his political views, intellectual background, literary creations, and social relationships (with an emphasis on his interactions with contemporary writers and his opinions on their poetry and prose). Since it is a historical work, it requires evidence-based accuracy, yet a complete account of events might lack refinement, necessitating a certain degree of imaginative interpretation. However, it must not involve fictional elements, as a biography differs from a historical novel.