Bai Juyi: Great Realist Poet of Tang Dynasty

Synopsis

Bai Juyi (772-846), styled name Letian, also known as Xiangshan Jushi, was the greatest realist poet of the Tang Dynasty after Du Fu. He advocated the New Yuefu Movement and wrote famous works including Song of Everlasting Sorrow, Song of the Pipa, and Farewell at the Ancient Plains.

Bai Juyi: Great Realist Poet of Tang Dynasty

Bai Juyi (772-846), with styled name Letian and literary name Xiangshan Jushi, was the greatest realist poet of the Tang Dynasty after Du Fu. Born in Xinzheng, Henan Province, he came from a declining minor official's family. His youthful experiences of war and displacement during the An Lushan Rebellion deeply shaped his understanding of common people's suffering, laying a solid foundation for his future poetic creation.

Bai Juyi's poetic theory emphasized that "writing should be composed for the times, and poetry should be written for affairs." He advocated with Yuan Zhen the New Yuefu Movement, promoting the study of realistic traditions from the Book of Songs and Han Yuefu ballads. His poems are known for their accessible language, vivid imagery, and profound artistry, earning him titles like "Poetry Demon" and "Poetry King."

Among his most celebrated works is Song of Everlasting Sorrow (Changgan Ge), a long narrative poem of 120 verses recounting the tragic love story between Emperor Xuanzong and Consort Yang. It masterfully combines praise for deep romantic love with critique of political tragedy caused by excessive indulgence, making it an outstanding masterpiece in ancient Chinese narrative poetry.

Another masterpiece, Song of the Pipa (Pipa Xing), depicts a female pipa player's fallen life in Chang'an, through which the poet expressed his own melancholy after exile. The couplet "Since we both are wanderers beneath the same sky, why should we have met before?" has become an eternal classic. The poem's description of pipa music represents the pinnacle of musical imagery in classical Chinese literature.

Composed in his youth, Farewell at the Ancient Plains (Fu De Guyuan Cao Song Bie) contains the famous couplet "Wildfire cannot burn them out completely, spring wind blows and they revive again," symbolizing resilient spirit through the vitality of prairie grass.

Bai Juyi's poetry covers various themes: satirical poems reflecting political ideals, leisure poems expressing tranquil life, sorrowful poems revealing personal emotions, and miscellaneous verses. His influence extended beyond China to Japan and Korea, where he was highly revered. Japanese Emperor Saga personally copied his poems for the imperial collection.

References:
1. Old Book of Tang - Biography of Bai Juyi
2. New Book of Tang - Biography of Bai Juyi
3. Chen Yinke, Poetry and Prose of Yuan and Bai, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House
4. Fu Xuancong, Studies on Tang Dynasty Poets, Zhonghua Book Company
5. Zhu Junchen, Complete Collection of Bai Juyi, Zhonghua Book Company