Du Fu Poetry Notes [Upper and Lower]

Author: Qiu Zhaoao (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Du Fu, styled Zimei, was born in 712 AD and died in 770 AD. He was a native of Gongxian, Henan Province. During his youth, he traveled extensively in the Jiangnan and Qi-Zhao regions, witnessing the grandeur of the mountains and rivers. From the fifth year of the Tianbao era (746 AD), he resided in Chang'an for ten years, deeply feeling the social reality of "the wine and meat in the red gates rot, while the bones of the freezing poor litter the streets." After the first year of the Zhide era (756 AD), for over a dozen years, Du Fu wandered from place to place. Due to the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty declined from prosperity, and the people suffered greatly. Like the common folk, Du Fu faced destitution and wandered to the southwest. He died in winter of the fifth year of the Dali era on a boat on the Xiang River. In the history of Chinese poetry, Du Fu is one of the greatest poets. His poems integrate social reality with personal experiences, perfectly unifying ideological content with artistic form. In his collected works, he profoundly reflects his life's journey, using the art of poetry to describe history and record major social events. Many of his political poems either express his views on governance, show concern for the suffering of the people, or use allegory and satire. Some poems that celebrate nature also blend scenery with emotion, closely linking the depiction of natural landscapes with human affairs.