White Juyi Collection

Author: Yan Jie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: The Collected Works of Bai Juyi originally consisted of seventy-five volumes, with seventy-one volumes remaining today, containing nearly four thousand poems and prose. This book selects approximately 250 poems, four ci (a type of Chinese poetry), and eight prose pieces, arranged chronologically according to their creation dates. They generally reflect the overall scope of Bai Juyi's literary career, his major life events, and his thoughts. The selected works are based on the (facsimile of the Song Dynasty Shaoxing edition) published by the Literary Classics Publishing House, with collation from other editions, though not all annotations are provided. The notes and critiques are concise and to the point!
Bai Juyi (772–846), styled Le Tian and styled Xiangshan Jushi, was from Xiaogui (now Weinan, Shaanxi). He experienced hardship and turmoil in his youth, fleeing to the Yue region and enduring great suffering. He passed the imperial examination in the Zhenyuan era and became a junior compiler in the Secretariat. During Emperor Xianzong's reign, he served as a Hanlin Academician and was appointed as the Left Vice Censor. He submitted a memorial demanding the capture of the murderer who assassinated the Chancellor Wu Yuancheng, but was demoted to the position of Marshal of Jiangzhou. Later, he held posts as the governor of Zhongzhou, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. During Emperor Wuzong's reign, he served as the Prince Imperial's Guest and the Vice Grand Tutor, settling in Luoyang and retiring as Minister of Justice. In his later years, he lived in Xiangshan Temple, adopting the title Xiangshan Jushi. Together with Yuan Zhen, Zhang Ji, and others, he advocated the New Yuefu Movement, dedicating himself to satirical poetry. Yet, his lyrical and reflective works were widely loved and celebrated by both his contemporaries and later generations. Their simplicity and accessibility are the greatest features of his poetry.
He passed the imperial examination in the sixteenth year of the Zhenyuan era and held positions such as Left Vice Censor, Attendant at the Eastern Palace, Marshal of Jiangzhou, Governor of Hangzhou and Suzhou, and Vice Grand Tutor.
Bai Juyi was a great realist poet. His poetry covered a wide range of themes and varied in form, with language that was simple and accessible. His works such as "Qinzhong Yin" (Songs of Qin) and "Xin Yuefu" (New Yuefu) dared to criticize the policies of the ruling authorities, reflecting the suffering of the people and deeply exposing social contradictions. He was also a key advocate of the New Yuefu Movement in the mid-Tang Dynasty. His narrative poems, such as "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" and "The Ballad of the Pipa," are rich in detail and emotionally moving, possessing a unique artistic style that had a far-reaching influence. In the theory of poetic creation, he proposed the principles that "writing should be for the times" and "poetry should be for the events."