Tao Yuanming Anthology

Author: Zhang Jihong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Tao Yuanming, also known as Yuan, styled Liang. Born in Chaisang, Xunyang (now southwest of Jiujiang, Jiangxi), he lived from the third year of Emperor Xining of the Jin Dynasty (365 AD) to the fourth year of Emperor Yuange of the Song Dynasty (427 AD), aged sixty-three. He lived during the transition between the Jin and Song dynasties, spending most of his time in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. That was an era of extreme political darkness and corruption. Tao Yuanming was born into a declining official family. His great-grandfather, Tao Kan, was a founding hero of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, holding the position of Grand Marshal. His grandfather, Tao Mao, and father, Tao Yi, both served as magistrates. His maternal grandfather, Meng Jia, was a renowned scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Tao Yuanming's grandfather and father were not the legitimate successors to Tao Kan's titles; his father passed away when Tao Yuanming was seven or eight years old, so he lived in poverty from a young age. Influenced by his family environment, Tao Yuanming developed a love for reading at a very young age and had a particular interest in Confucian classics. His reading range included not only Confucian classics but also the Laozi and Zhuangzi, which were popular during the Jin Dynasty, as well as a vast number of historical and literary works from the pre-Qin to the Han and Wei periods, extensively exposing him to ancient cultural heritage. In his youth, Tao Yuanming had a grand ambition to "benefit the masses" (The Lament of Unmatched Scholars), hoping to achieve something significant. From the eighteenth year of Emperor Taiyuan of the Jin Dynasty (393 AD) to the first year of Emperor Yixi of the Jin Dynasty (405 AD), over these thirteen years, Tao Yuanming held various positions, including Libationer, Military Attendant, and County Magistrate. With his upright and incorruptible character, he was at odds with the corrupt atmosphere of the official world and resigned several times. His last resignation came from the position of Magistrate of Pengze, ending his official career. From then on, he felt immense spiritual liberation and truly embarked on the path of "self-cultivation through farming." In the early days of returning to farming, Tao Yuanming and his family participated in the labor, with a servant helping them. They had no trouble with basic necessities, and their mood was joyful. In the sixth month of the fourth year of Yixi (408 AD), his home was completely destroyed by a fire, and the family had to live on a boat. In the sixth year of Yixi (410 AD), he moved his family to Nan Village, reasoning that it had some good neighbors—farmers, as well as scholars and officials who had retired to live in Xunyang, such as military attendants, secretaries, and county magistrates. Tao Yuanming continued to live the life of "self-sustaining farming" in Nan Village, but his family's financial situation had greatly deteriorated. He often worked hard all year round but struggled to make ends meet. Regarding the issue of entering office or retiring from it, Tao Yuanming experienced some conflicts. Due to his clear understanding of the corrupt politics of the time, he resolutely refused to align himself with the rulers. In the late years of Yixi, he once again rejected the court's appointment as a Court Historian. In his later years, Tao Yuanming suffered from poverty and illness, his body growing increasingly frail. He passed away in the eleventh month of the fourth year of Yuange of the Song Dynasty.