GBP Chapter 312: Poet's Stories
Chapter 312: Poet's Stories
[The most unlucky and short-lived poet in the Tang Dynasty, who could never pass the imperial examination because of his father's name. Historical knowledge of the Tang Dynasty]
He was the ugliest poet in the Tang Dynasty. Although he lived only 27 years, he was as famous as Li Bai. His line "If the sky had feelings, it would also grow old" is even more well-known. He could write poems at the age of 7, became famous in the capital at the age of 15, and wrote "Black clouds press down on the city, the city is about to collapse, the armor shines towards the sun, and the golden scales open."
Unfortunately, he was weak and sickly since childhood, and was plotted against by others when he was young, so he never passed the imperial examination. He was one of the Three Lis of the Middle Tang Dynasty - Li He, the Ghost Poet. People always say "God is jealous of talents", but they don't know that behind God's jealousy is often naked human jealousy.
Little Du was jealous and sarcastic, while Big Du framed and plotted against people, causing their deaths. Li He is undoubtedly the most typical example.
In 790 AD, Li He was born in Yiyang County, Henan Province. His ancestor was Li Liang, the Prince of Zheng, the uncle of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, who was once very prosperous. But by the time of his father Li Jingsu, the family had already become very poor from its former glory.
Even though his father was a county magistrate, Li He's family was still poor when he was born. Growing up in poverty, Li He was thin and looked different from others, with his eyebrows connected together and long fingers.
But the hardships of life could not stop Li He's talent. He was gifted and could write poems at the age of 7. Young Li He often rode a skinny donkey through the mountains and fields, carrying a brocade bag with him.
When inspiration strikes, he quickly writes down the verses in his mind and puts them in his pocket. When he returns home, he immerses himself in the world of poetry, carefully crafting every word and every line of poetry. His concentration and persistence also make his mother feel distressed.
The term "mother's training" describes how hard Li He worked to write poetry. With this passion and hard work, Li He became famous for his poetry when he was a teenager. In 807 AD, the 18-year-old Li He took his own "Song of the Governor of Yanmen" to visit Han Yu, the leader of the literary world at that time.
Han Yu opened the poem and was immediately attracted by the majestic verses: "Black clouds press down on the city, and the city is about to collapse; the armor shines towards the sun and the golden scales open." He immediately felt that Li He was a rare talent and decided to help him.
But who could have thought? Fate suddenly took a big turn for Li He. Just when he was about to take the imperial examination and realize his ambition, his father Li Jingsu passed away. According to the rules of the Tang Dynasty, he had to observe mourning for three years.
Three years later, with the encouragement of Han Yu, Li He regrouped and embarked on the road to imperial examinations. With solid knowledge, he successfully passed the prefectural and provincial examinations.
But just when he was about to step onto the stage of his dreams, a ridiculous farce completely shattered his hopes. Someone maliciously reported that Li He should avoid the word "Jin" in his father's name because it was homophonic with "Jinshi" and therefore could not take the Jinshi exam.
In anger, Han Yu wrote an article entitled "On Taboos" to express his dissatisfaction on Li He: "If the father's name is 'Jin', the son cannot be admitted as a Jinshi. If the father's name is 'Ren', the son cannot be a human being?"
But this still could not withstand the pressure of public opinion. Li He finally gave up the exam reluctantly and returned home sadly.
The end of the imperial examination path was a heavy blow to Li He, but he did not sink into despair.
In order to realize his dream of revitalizing his family, he looked for opportunities to become an official. Finally, relying on his status as a royal relative, he got a ninth-rank official position - Fenglilang, which was mainly responsible for trivial matters such as sacrifices, which was far from his ambition.
Doing these trivial tasks every day, Li He felt depressed and unwilling. He could only write all these emotions into poems and find comfort in them.
Li He's poetry style is unique, neither like Li Bai's bold and unrestrained style nor Du Fu's melancholy and frustration. With his unconstrained imagination, he incorporated myths and legends into his poems, using the past to satirize the present, expressing his dissatisfaction with reality and his pursuit of ideals.
He used the artistic conception of "This heart is like a poem" which is both mysterious and profound.
In "Li Ping's Konghou Introduction", "The jade of Kunshan shatters, the phoenix cries, the hibiscus weeps in the dew, and the fragrant orchid smiles" the wonderful sound after Li Ping played the konghou is described in a magical way, as if you can see the beautiful jade of Kunshan shattering, the phoenix cries, the hibiscus weeps in the dew, and southern Hunan also blooms with laughter, making people feel as if they are there.
The line "Looking at the nine points of smoke in Qizhou from afar, a pool of sea water pouring out of the cup" in "Dream of the Sky" is looking down at the world from the sky, comparing the nine provinces to nine points of smoke, and the sea to water pouring out of the cup, showing a grand and fantastic view of the universe that is amazing.
There is also "The desert sand is like snow, and the moon in Yanshan is like a hook." These ten short words outline the majestic scenery of the desert outside the Great Wall, which is as white as frost and the crescent moon is like a hook. They depict the unique scenery of the frontier in a concise and powerful way.
The line “the ghost lights are like lacquered pine flowers” instantly creates a gloomy and terrifying feeling, making him worthy of being called a “poet ghost”.
His poems were very popular at the time, but because the style was so unique, although many people in later generations tried to imitate it, they were always unable to reach its level.
After three years of suffering in the post of Fenglilang, Li He finally couldn't stand it anymore and chose to resign. After that, his life became more and more difficult and his health became worse and worse. But even in difficult circumstances, Li He's ambition to serve the country never died.
In 815 AD, Huaixi rebelled and Emperor Xianzong of Tang ordered an expedition against the rebels. Upon hearing the news, Li He, who was seriously ill, wrote down the heroic poem "Why don't men take Wu Gou and conquer fifty states? Please go to the Lingyan Pavilion for a while, so that a scholar can be a marquis of ten thousand households", hoping to go to the battlefield and make contributions to the country. Unfortunately, his body could no longer support him to realize this wish.
In 816 AD, Li He's life came to an end. He died at the age of 27 in poverty and illness with endless regrets.
Looking back on Li He's life, although it was full of ups and downs and hardships, his talent and brilliance could not be concealed. He used one wonderful poem after another to show his unique understanding of the world. Despite his ill-fated life, he never stopped writing.
In the long river of history, he left a profound mark of his own and became an eternally shining star in the history of Chinese literature.
[The most romantic poet in history, who spent half of his life in brothels. Historical trivia: Liu Yong of the Northern Song Dynasty]
He was the most romantic scholar in the Northern Song Dynasty. The thing he did most in his life was to visit brothels. He was originally a genius, but he failed the imperial examination four times. Because of a poem, he became one of the behind-the-scenes promoters of the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty. He lived a miserable life and died in poverty. He was buried only with the joint efforts of many people. He was the first poet of the Song Dynasty and the white-robed minister Liu Yong.
When talking about Liu Yong, we have to mention Su Shi. Su Shi is one of the most famous literati in China, and everyone admires him. But you certainly don't know that the famous Su Shi also admired Liu Yong. However, some people like him, and some people hate him. Li Qingzhao once criticized Liu Yong's poems for being vulgar and low in style. This is why some people say "The lunar calendar is sad for relatives, so I won't write a biography of Liu Yong." Liu Yong was born into an official family. His family is the famous Liu family in Hedong, and he is of the same clan as Liu Zongyuan. His father Liu Yi was once a favorite of Li Yu, the last emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and his mother Liu was born in a scholarly family and was good at poetry and songs. With such a family background, Liu Yong set up his ambition to study and become an official since he was a child. His original name was Liu Sanbian, which was taken from the "Analects of Confucius" "A gentleman has three changes, he looks solemn, he is warm when he is close to him, and he is stern when he listens to his words", which is full of his family's expectations for him.
Young Liu Yong was talented, smart and studious, and could be called a child of other people's families. At the age of 10, he could write exquisite chapters to encourage learning. At the age of 18, he passed the provincial examination and prepared to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination. However, when passing through Suzhou and Hangzhou, he was attracted by the extravagance and prosperity of Suzhou and Hangzhou, and threw away the knowledge of the imperial examination. Liu Yong stayed there for six years. During this period, he wrote "Looking at the Tide of the Sea": "The southeast is a beautiful place, the capital of the Three Wus, and Qiantang has been prosperous since ancient times. Smoky willows and painted bridges, wind curtains and green curtains, and tens of thousands of households. Clouds and trees surround the embankment, and the raging waves roll up frost and snow, and the natural moat is endless. The city is full of pearls, and the households are full of silk and satin, competing for luxury." This poem vividly depicts the wealth and beauty of Hangzhou, which not only made him famous, but also left a legend that this poem triggered the invasion of Wanyan Liang of the Jin Dynasty to the south.
In 1008, Liu Yong finally arrived in the capital Bianjing. At that time, Bianjing was economically prosperous, and Liu Yong plunged into this life of luxury and debauchery, becoming a super VIP of major brothels at that time. Others were studying late into the night to prepare for the exam, but he was lying in the arms of a singing girl, so happy. In the spring of 1009, the results of the imperial examination were announced, and Liu Yong failed. Instead of reflecting on himself, he wrote "He Chongtian" to complain: "On the golden list, I occasionally lost the hope of being the leader. The Ming Dynasty has temporarily left behind talents, what should I do? If the wind and clouds are not fulfilled, I will not be wild and unrestrained. Why bother to discuss gains and losses? Talented poets are white-clothed ministers. The fireworks alleys are screened by paintings and colors as promised. Fortunately, there is a lover who is worth visiting. And you are so close to the red and green, and the romantic affairs are happy all your life. Youth is just a moment. I can't bear to exchange the fame for a light drink and low singing." Although this poem is free and easy, it also angered Song Renzong and buried hidden dangers for his official career.
After that, Liu Yong failed the imperial examination three more times. In 1024, Liu Yong failed the fourth time. Renzong personally commented: "Just go and sing, why bother with fame." This completely cut off his path to the imperial examination. Even when an official recommended Liu Yong, the emperor just said "Just write lyrics." Disheartened, Liu Yong called himself "Liu Sanbian, who wrote lyrics by imperial order" and lingered in brothels, sympathizing with singing girls. It was during this period that Liu Yong wrote the famous poem "Yu Lin Ling": "The cicadas are crying sadly, it's late at the long pavilion, and the rain has just stopped. I have no mood to drink in the tent in the capital, and I am reluctant to leave, but the orchid boat is urging me to leave. We held hands and looked at each other with tears in our eyes, but we were speechless. Thinking of leaving, thousands of miles of smoke and waves, and the dusk is heavy over the vast sky of Chu. People have been sentimental since ancient times, and they are sad about separation, even more unbearable, the cold and lonely autumn festival! Where will I go when I wake up from my drunken stupor tonight? Will I be there? Willow bank, morning breeze and waning moon. After so many years, the good times and beautiful scenery are all in vain. Even if there are thousands of kinds of love, who can I tell?" This poem depicts the pain of parting and the reluctance to leave vividly, and has become a masterpiece of parting that has been passed down through the ages.
Liu Yong's poems are widely circulated among the people. There is a saying that "wherever there is water, people can sing Liu's poems". He not only created a lot of poems, but also boldly innovated the forms of poems. Among the more than 800 forms of poems used by the Song people, more than 100 were created or used for the first time by him. His poems are easy to understand and sincere. There are both persistence in love such as "I will never regret my clothes getting looser and I will become haggard for you" and deep confession of love such as "I will owe you thousands of tears in my whole life". However, although his poems are popular among the people, they are often criticized in the literary circle and are labeled as "vulgar", which makes it difficult for them to be accepted by the upper class. However, Liu Yong's desire for fame and fortune never died out.
In 1034, Emperor Renzong took power and lowered the threshold for the imperial examination to take care of candidates who had failed for many years. Liu Yong seized the opportunity and changed his name from "Liu Sanbian" to "Liu Yong". He took the exam and finally got what he wanted. He passed the exam and served as the magistrate of Yuhang County. At this time, Liu Yong was over years old. He was no longer addicted to prostitution like before. Instead, he worked diligently, cared about the suffering of the people, built water conservancy projects, managed famines, and adjusted taxes. He was deeply loved by the people and was listed as a "wise official" in the local administration. Later, the court wanted to promote Liu Yong, but he angered the emperor because of some words in "Drunk Penglai" presented to Emperor Renzong, and the promotion was ruined. After that, although Liu Yong worked diligently, he was never reused. The highest official position in his life was only the sixth-rank Tuntian Yuanwailang, so people also called him "Liu Tuntian".
In 1053, Liu Yong, 68, died of illness in Runzhou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). It is said that Liu Yong was penniless after his death, and the local singing girls spontaneously paid tribute to him and raised money to hold a grand funeral ceremony for him. Every Qingming Festival, they would meet at Liu Yong's grave to pay respects, and this became a custom, known as "hanging Liu Qi" or "visiting Liu Qi's grave." This custom continued until the Song Dynasty moved south. However, there is another saying that Wang Anshi's younger brother helped bury Liu Yong after his death, but the truth is unknown.
Liu Yong spent the first half of his life wandering around brothels, for which he was famous; the second half of his life was spent in the ups and downs of officialdom, with many ups and downs. But if I could have a conversation with Liu Yong, I believe he would still say: "I will never regret my clothes becoming looser, I have become haggard for her."
[The most affectionate poet in history, the prince of love poems wasted his time, and later generations gave him mixed reviews. Historical trivia: Tang Dynasty]
He was the first lover in China and the best poet in the entire Tang Dynasty. Even Bai Juyi, who was 41 years older than him, wanted to be reborn as his son. Unfortunately, he had a rough life. He lost his father in childhood and his wife in middle age. His future was ruined because of a marriage. History books even described him as ungrateful and of low character. He was the most affectionate poet in the Tang Dynasty, the king of love poems, Li Shangyin.
As one of the most outstanding poets in the late Tang Dynasty, Li Shangyin is as famous as Li Bai and Li He, and later generations call him "Three Lis". He is also called "Little Li Du" together with Du Mu, and "Wen Li" together with Wen Tingyun. In 813 AD, Li Shangyin was born in a family of minor officials in Zhengzhou, Henan. His ancestors had served as ninth-rank officials similar to county magistrates, and Li Shangyin also claimed to be of the same clan as Li Yuan, the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty. But after several generations, the blood relationship has long been weak. Because his grandfather Li Si liked the famous hermit among the four Haos in Shangshan, he named him Li Shangyin, with the word Yishan. Li Shangyin had a hard life when he was a child. His father died when he was less than 10 years old. The family lost its pillar and life fell into trouble.