Du Mu Collection -- Basic Collection of Chinese Family Libraries

Author: Zhang Houyu
Commentary:
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Du Mu (803—852), styled Muzhi, was a native of Jingzhao Wannian (now Xi'an, Shaanxi). He was the grandson of the prime minister Du You, passed the imperial examination in the Dahe era, and was appointed as a copyist in the Hongwen Academy. Later, he served in the office of the Jiangxi Military Commissioner, then transferred to the Huainan Military Commissioner's office, and later joined the office of the Xuanxi Military Commissioner. During the reign of Emperor Wenzong, he served as the Left Supplementary Officer, then promoted to the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Food and Clothing and the Ministry of Justice. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, he was appointed as the magistrate of the three prefectures of Huang, Chi, and Mu. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, he entered the court as the Assistant Minister of the Bureau of Personnel, the Compiler of the Historiography, and later served as the magistrate of Huizhou. He was summoned back to the capital as the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Examinations and the Imperial Censor, and eventually rose to the position of a Secretary of the Chancellery. Du Mu emphasized literary meaning and stylistic refinement in his poetry, pursuing elegance and beauty, setting himself apart from the ornate and frivolous poetry of late Tang. He excelled in regulated verse, particularly in quatrains. Du Mu's literary achievements were multifaceted, with poetry, fu, and classical prose all regarded as masterpieces. He advocated that the meaning should be the primary focus of writing, supported by vigor, with stylistic expression and sentence structure serving as the means to defend it. He had a relatively correct understanding of the relationship between the content and form of a work. He was able to absorb and integrate the strengths of predecessors to form his own distinctive style. In poetry, Du Mu was renowned alongside another outstanding poet of late Tang, Li Shangyin, and together they were known as the "Little Li and Du." His classical verse was influenced by Du Fu and Han Yu, with broad themes and a sharp, vigorous style. His regulated verse was noted for its elegant wording and expressive rhythms. The regulated seven-character poem "Early" (Early) employed the techniques of comparison and allusion to express sympathy for the northern frontier people who were displaced by the Uyghur invasions, conveying a subtle and lingering emotion. On the other hand, "Ascending Qishan on the Ninth Day of the Ninth Month" () was written in a bold and unrestrained style, reflecting his open and magnanimous heart while alsoing profound sorrow. The general trend of late Tang poetry was ornate and intricate, and Du Mu, influenced by the era's style, also emphasized stylistic refinement. This shared tendency to value refinement combined with his personal characteristic of "heroic and radiant" style, resulting in poetry that was both elegant and ethereal, grand and refined. This book selects 107 poems and 5 fu, all chosen from the "Fanchuan Collection" and "Fanchuan Poetry Collection" published by Shanghai Guji Press, with additions and deletions based on the "Du Mu Collection" published by Yuefu Press.