Su Dongpo Poetry

Author: Su Dongpo (Northern Song Dynasty), compiled by Deng Kuiying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Su Dongpo, also known as Su Shi (1037–1101 AD), styled Zizhan, styled Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan, Sichuan. Together with his father Su Xun and his younger brother Su Zhe, he is known as the "Three Su." In his youth, he was well-versed in classics and history. In the second year of Emperor Renzong's Jiajing era (1057 AD), he passed the imperial examination and was highly praised by Ouyang Xiu, gaining fame in the capital. However, amidst the intense political reforms of the Northern Song Dynasty and the factional struggles between the New and Old Schools, he was repeatedly exiled and、、, where he died of illness in Changzhou. Su Dongpo's poems, paintings, and calligraphy were collected by people, and his paintings include "Xiangxi Bamboo and Stone," "Cold Food Festival Scroll," and "Front and Rear Prefaces to the Red Cliff." His literary works, "Complete Works of Su Shi," include "Su Dongpo Poetry Collection," "Su Dongpo Ci Collection," "Su Dongpo Prose Collection," and "Su Dongpo Chronology." Su Dongpo left behind over 2,700 poems, more than 300 ci poems, and a vast collection of prose, making him one of China's most prolific and highly regarded writers in terms of both quantity and quality. His life was incredibly rich and varied, yet his turbulent journey brought immense contributions to the world. He achieved worldwide acclaim in calligraphy, painting, cuisine, medicine, health, and Zen studies. During his exiles, he actively participated in disaster relief, water conservancy projects, education, and healthcare, benefiting the people of the regions he visited. Everywhere he went, he left behind remarkable legacies and inspiring stories. He transformed the bitterness of life into sweet nourishment, comforting his own soul while enriching the hearts of all. To commemorate Su Dongpo, modern people built the "Su Dongpo Memorial Hall" in Hangzhou. Even while living in exile in Hainan in his later years, he completed annotations on the three Confucian classics: "The Analects," "The Book of Documents," and "The Book of Changes."