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Yuan Literature I

2012-04-19T07:06:05Z

ArnoldQ:

=3 Major Elements=
Because of the Yuan’s unique political situation (for example succession was a major issue: caused lots of struggle) there is a perceivable change in Chinese literature. However, because the dynasty was so short we can only notice its effects afterwards.
The language in these texts are more focused on performance. Either simple classical chinese, or the colloquial “imitating ordinary speech”.

*Maturation of colloquial literature
**Widespread in Song – print circulation

*No longer stuck to civil examinations
**Free from certain sets of writing.
**Fu > no longer lufu
**Poetry > more lyrical

*Ethnic Writers
**Produced many classical and popular forms.

= Groups vs. Persons=
Valley between the classical canon and new colloquial literature: In the past, we could use them to structure a literary history. However, now we only find groups, such as FOUR GREAT POETS OF THE YUAN. Or POETRY SOCIRTY OF MOON SPRING. And the Three Elders of Dragon Mountain. Because the dynasty was so short, there was no rise of any single true genius, rather the Yuan liked to discuss forms of literature (both hybrid and popular). You see, colloquial songs were considered nonserious literature, and did not have the same process of review, discussion, and selection.

We have to look at what was happening at the time, rather then what it was based on.

*Popular Stories:
-- Plain stories: “pinghua”. Just historical narratives., northern plays (zaju),
Souther dramas (sanqu).
 
*Readers faced issues:
-- Colloquial literature does not follow the same rules of preservation and
Euphemism.
 
*Literature (especially poetry) faced constant change.
-- Later dynasties often re-did works, and reflected the language and idealology of the editors rather then the original authors.
= Assimilation of literature?=
Court infighting happened previously- advisors would argue if something was ethical or not. Mongols weren’t too concerned about the Chinese official’s weird obsession with writing. They were barely literate.

Funny story about Sangha, a smart but power hungry minister that was later purged/killed. Later, some high court officials tried to exile another minister on charges that they wrote a “poem eulogizing Sangha in the most profuse language!”. Khubilai responded on “what crime did he commit?? “

The examinations was a critical backbone of the education system and the typical path to social and political power. Over the years it was reintroduced on a small scale then later abused, then removed totally. It devolved into techinical skills rather then classics and poetry.

Now, inorder to rise in politics it was all based on patronage and personal recommendations. The examinations and fu were a very important part of Confucianism. It was thought that Confucian scholars were hated and treated poorly during this time, but no evidence supports this. The Confucian ideals at the time were really just to pacify the people.

Disestablishment of examinations: 
''“Was the Jin lost because of Confucianism?” – Khubilai'' 
For the scholars it was terrible! But for literature it was good!
Writing was no longer paired with its most important use: arguably: success in examinations.
= Yuan Literature=
107 years by the time the Jin dynasty fell.
Jin Writers – north style.
End of Jin – shift to Tang poetry style. Not Song.

Yuan Haowen was a major influence in the north; he emerged from the collapse of the Jin as a major figure in three ways: 
1) He wrote very very good poetry. – Called poetry of Loss and chao. Maybe comparable to Du Fu! 
2) Traveled and compiled a very important historical work: The Miscellaneous Compilation of Events of the Renchen Years –now lost. 
Last, he had a huge influence over the first generation of northern writers in Yuan. There are two attributes to this. He was a local hero –contemporary influence on the formation of writers from Shanxi.
House arrest after fall of Jin caused him to become a famous teacher.

= Various Old Holdovers=
It was 8 writers.
*All went to war together,
*All friends with Yuan Haowen
*All shared similar tenor and style in poetry.
*All dropped out of givernment service.

Their poetry was like nostalgia for one’s lost state.
Adopted Yuan’s model of integrity- they refused to serve the new dynasty and worked to preserve the traditions of the Jin.
Poetry was on loss and suffering – this caused the revival of Song tradition of looking at Du Fu’s poetry in its sullen deep feelings and lyricism.

One person, Hao Jing, was under house arrest for 16 years.
Because of this, his works reflected on depending on nothing outside ones self –the Daoxue philosophy.
Focused on interiority.
Poetry featured rhymes and was considered eccentric.
*The poetry is praised but the writing is rather poor. Not very interesting. Dry.

Wang Yun –importance!
-very very prolific – over 3k poems
Not subjective, but rather documentary essays of events and places. True for poems too!
Possibly the first “literary offical” – wrote from a sense of duty
It told about hardships in the north or detailed analyses of political events.
*BORING UNPOLISHED!
Only redeeming feature is that they are very detailed. Sometimes too much.
His poetry harks back to the Tang era, and he was a pioneer in the development. He really liked the Tang poets.
Like Yuan, he really wanted to preserve northern Chinese culture while under Yuan control.

=References=
Powerpoint [https://wiki.vm.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/uvu/images/4/45/ChineseLiteraturechapter7.pptx Presentation] 
1. Our book, pages: 575 599

Yuan Literature I

2012-04-19T06:00:08Z

ArnoldQ:

Yuan Literature I

2012-04-19T05:59:07Z

ArnoldQ:

2012-04-19T05:42:29Z

ArnoldQ:

=Background=
Regarded as one of the Four Great Classical Novels, '''Wu Cheng'en''''s masterful ''Journey to the West'' has long been considered not only a great re-imaging of Xuanzang's pilgrimage to India, but a classic tale which continues to delight children and adults alike.

''Journey to the West'' was published in the '''Ming Dynasty''' (16th century), but was done so anonymously.
===Authorship and Literary Style===
The novel does not have a clear author. Scholars, however, have so far pinned it down to Wu Cheng'en. While his other works to not refer to this novel at all, people of Wu's hometown did attribute it (quite early too) to Wu, and kept records dating back to 1625. [1].
There was a trend at the time to write literature to imitate the classical literature of the Qin, Han, and Tang dynasty, which was written in Classical Chinese. However, ''Journey to the West ''was written in vernacular tongue, which carried a poor reputation among works during the period. Scholars claim this is why the novel was published anonymously. Wu probably decided to write in this "vulgar" language form because of the great influence popular stories and folktales had on him. By writing in everyday language, he could replicate a story that normal everyday people could understand.

One important issue with ''Journey to the West'' is its contents. Much of the tales and myths contained existed far before the novel itself. In addition, the novel has shown up in many different forms and genres. This suggests that publishers and editors felt free to revise and adapt it at will. This is a stark contrast between The Plum in the Golden vase, it was shown with a high degree of respect by publishers and editors as all later versions of the novel show very little differences. However, the book is easily broken up into pieces for reading, performance, storytelling, etc. which not only helped in its popularity, but to why others edited it so freely.

===Wu Cheng'en===
[[File:wuchengen.jpg|Painting of Wu Cheng'en|thumb|]]
Wu Cheng'en was born in Lianshui (Jiangsu province) although right after moved to Huaian. There he flourished with a great love for literature. His father, Wu Rui, was good at studying and had a good primary education; however due to finances he would only remain an artisan. Wu grew up with a very similar disposition.

Wu did take the imperial examinations several times in attempt to become a mandarin (a scholar official – standard vocab for the Ming Dynasty). However he never passed.

He did however, enter an imperial university and became an official. This happened in his middle ages, and sadly he never enjoyed his work. He resigned and sources speculate he probably spend the rest of his life writing stories/poems in his hometown.
It was during this time he rose to become an accomplished writer, and became friends with several other “famous” contemporary writers. He later became a hermit because he thought the world was corrupt and did not approve of the political climate. Sadly, he remained poor and child-less.

He is mainly attributed to have written ''Journey to the West'' but he did write a lot of other poems and stories. Sadly most have been lost. They have been described as stubborn and was very critical of society’s corruption. Again his works do not follow the classical styles, but they weren’t as vulgar as the ''Journey to the West''.
=Cast=
The novel features four major characters, which are on their "journey to the West" in order to collect the Buddhist scriptures and to redeem themselves, if needed. An interesting aspect is the crew's ability to conjure poems at will.
==Xuanzang==
Based off an actual figure, this Buddhist monk originally set off to retrieve original scriptures in India. Although he is normally helpless in defending himself (demons/monsters believed that by eating the flesh of a holy man, one could become immortal) he has a powerful crew who aid and protect him. In return, they will receive enlightenment and forgiveness for their sins.

==Sun Wukong==
A super powerful and immortal monkey, Wukong has a complex past. Born atop a sacred mountain from a stone egg (formed by the coupling of Heaven and Earth), Wukong is a brave and fearless, fighting for what he wants.
He later angers several gods and receives the attention of the Jade Emperor, who gives him a minor position in heaven to satisfy him. Wukong however soon discovers his position was very low (not a real full fledged god) and tries to declare himself the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven").
He also steals and eats some very rare immortality peaces (hence the immortal part). He then basically wages war against heaven, and somehow is winning. The Jade Emperor asks Buddha for help, and Buddha traps Wukong under a stone mountain. He is later set free when the monk Xuanzang starts his journey and sets him free. With his behavior in mind, Wukong was fitted with a band around his head, which shrinks in punishment as Xuanzang commands.

Wukong possesses a very powerful and flexible weapon, the "Ruyi Jingu Bang". It has a lot of superpowers in itself, such as shrinking/growing, etc. Wukong himself also has many powers, from 72 transformations to cloning himself through his hair.

== Zhu Bajie==
''Pig of Eight Prohibitions''- once an immortal, he drank too much during a celebration of the gods and tried to flirt with the moon goddess Chang'e. He was then banished to the moral world, and was supposed to be reborn as a human. However, the Reincarnation Wheel spit out an error, and he was sent to the womb of a female boar, hence the half-man half-pig monster he is today.

He is very very greedy, and cannot survive without eating ravenously! He was later commissioned to accompany Xuanzang on his trip to India.

He is equipped with an iron rake, and is capable of 32 transformations. The second strongest of the team.
== Sha Wujing==
Once a general in the heavens, Sha was banished to the mortal world and transformed into a monster because he accidentally smashed a crystal goblet (belonging to the Queen Mother of the West!). He basically became a bridge troll until Xuanzang's party came across him, and took him in.

He is known to be the most obedient, logical, and polite of the three, rarely arguing.
= Story=
The novel contains over 100 chapters, and can be split into four parts.
* Chapters 1-7 is a small introduction to the story, dealing with Wukong's birth, and his battle against Heaven, until he was trapped under a mountain.
* Chapters 8-12 introduces Xuangzang
=References=
1. Hu Shih (1942). ''Introduction''. New York: Grove Press. pp. 1–5.

2012-03-05T07:04:03Z

ArnoldQ: /* References: */

I am also known as '''Li Po'''.

Welcome to my page, for I am about to bring you on an incredible journey through my life, my works,and my immortality.

Let us begin!
=Life=
[[File:LiBai.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A painting of Li Bai.|A painting of me.]]
I was born in the year 701. Where, you ask? This has been a controversy for more than a millennium. While where I was born is not entirely known, the brashness and bravado of my poetic voice are characteristics of poets from this region (Wu 66).
There are theories that I could have been of Turkish decent. I am probably from a mercantile family (Eide 370).

My family dwelt in what is now Gansu. Evidence suggests that my family was banished during the Sui Dynasty, (due to a crime) and thus moved from Gansu. In 705 my family secretly moved to beautiful Sichuan (famous for its gigantic mountains and wonderful natural scenery), where I spent my childhood (Wu 57).

I read everything! Of course I read the Confucian Classics, but I also read things normal scholars abstained from, such as astrological and metaphysical texts (Eide 373).

In 761, Du Fu wrote this particular poem about me: (Wu 58)
<blockquote>''I have not seen Li Po for a long time-- 
''What a pitiable man with his feigned madness! 
''All the world wants to kill him: 
''I alone dote on his genius. 
''Quick-witted, he has hit off a thousand poems; 
''A waif in the world, his only home is in a cup of wine. 
''O my friend! 'Tis time to return to Ku'ang Shan, 
''Where you used to read books with such gusto.''</blockquote>
From this we can gather I used to study books in Ku'ang Shan, a mountain lying near the city of Chengtu.

I enjoyed taming birds and sword play. I was quite proficient in martial arts. 
By the time I was twenty, I had killed with my own hands several persons for chivalrous causes. ('''Author's note:''' Take that with a lump of salt. Could not be confirmed elsewhere). (Wu 58)
<blockquote>''“When I was fifteen, I was fond of sword play, and with that art I challenged quite a few great men.”'' -- Li Bai [Wu 58]</blockquote>

Around 725 I left home and became a wanderer. I sailed around, a truly wild spirit. I married the granddaughter of a retired Prime Minister, but even she (Hsu Hsin-shih, try saying that three times fast) could not tame me.
In 735, I wandered to Shansi, where one of the most important events of my life happened. Here I met Kuo Tzu-i, a humble soldier. I saved him from a court-martial by simply speaking to the commander.

----

===An Examination: Li Bai's Political Motives ===
====Author's Note: An Introduction: ====
This point in Li Bai's life is where things start moving rapidly. But there are key decisions and ideals that bring up questions. ''Why didn't he take the examinations?'' ''Why did he become a recluse? '' Here I intend to argue that his reasoning for this is simple: to gain political power.

==== Background ====

During the T'ang period, there were only four ways to get an official career:
# Take the Imperial Examination.
# Be recommended by someone in charge of an academy.
# Be recommended by a local/higher official.
# Be commended by the Emperor himself.

During the formation of dynasties, it can be derived that only methods 2 and 3 were used. However, even after the examination system was established, emperors still liked direct introductions from important people. Just doing extremely well on the examinations was not enough to get a good position (Eide 370). This is why it is very important that I befriend as many important figures as possible.
[[File:Imperial_examination.jpg|thumb|275px|left|alt=A painting of Li Bai.|Song Dynasty painting of examinations.]]
A common way used by other poets was to send a letter to an important person, and present a "profile" of their writings. Doing this several times was called "keeping the scrolls warm" (Mair 125).

Emperor Hsuan-tsung encouraged literati to rise up mainly using the examination system. However, I was much too impatient and wanted to rise to the top in a single leap. Demonstrating this, I refused to accept the Prefect of Kuang-han’s recommendation letter and did not participate in the usual examination. While either channels were perfectly good ways to get an official career, the slow progress would have been pure torture for me. I believed in what I called “the direct route to becoming a dragon” (Eide 126).

What exactly I meant no one really knows.

This contributed to my image of an uncompromising and ambitious individualist. While it may seem unique, I still had very conventional traits, such as in my [[Li_Bai#Poetry|poetry]]. 

==== Taoist Hermit: A lifestyle? Or cunning shortcut? ====
(Author's Note: Li Bai would have never openly admitted what I am suggesting here. This is now from me, Arnold's, point of view.)

Reclusion during the Tang period may have had hidden ulterior motives. As Mair so artfully states: <blockquote>
“It was as though one were saying to the officials
and even to the Emperor, "See how pure and aloof I am. If you
want to employ my talents, you must come and wrest me from
my blissful seclusion." ”</blockquote>

An example of this is Li Mi, who deliberately studied Taoism and became a hermit. 
He later became Prime Minister (Kohn 630).
 

It is claimed that Kao-Tsung, Empress Wu, and Hsuan-tsung liked to have "curiosities" at court. The strangeness of Taoist priests during this period was a successful way of attracting the attention of emperors (Kohn 631). Hsuan-tung was claimed to have kept seven resident hermits/Taoist priests (Kohn 632).

This practice is in fact so widespread that it birthed a satirical proverb (Mair 127):
<blockquote> "Chung-nan Mountain is a short cut." </blockquote>
The back story is about the scholar Lu Tsang-yung, who received an Advanced Scholar degree and wanted to enter an official career. However, now was not the right time (as decided by the emperor, so he became a hermit on Chung-nan Mountain. 
This mountain is very close to the capital, making it easy for the Emperor to summon monks and such.
And true enough, he was soon summoned by the Emperor. 
Around this time there was a famous Taoist priest named Ssu-ma Cheng-chen, who also lived on the mountain as a hermit, and had very good connections with the royal family. The tale goes with Ssu-ma returning to the mountain after a palace visit, and meeting upon Tsang-yung, who pointed to the mountain and asked "That's really a wonderful place, isn't it?" 
Cheng-chen answered: "As I see it, it's just a shortcut to becoming an official." With such tales, we can see why Li Bai might have been tempted to try this out himself (Mair 128). 
Continuing with both Li Bai's life and political "espionage", we find him traveling a lot during 726-742 (right where we left off), bringing him to numerous provinces, such as Hunan, Kiangsi, Honan, Shansi, and Shantung. But ''why''? 
We can derive two basic motives for this:
# Seek out the unusual and beautiful (Kohn 625). This would have given him some inspiration for his poetry, and also maybe an insight into Taoist immortality.
# The more important motive: to make friends and meet people- to be more specific: powerful people. Li Bai wanted them to help him through his "Dragon Gate", the road to official success, as per his plans (Mair 130)!

====Li Bai's "Letter to Han Ching-chou"====
Full Letter: [[Letter to Han Ching-chou]] 
Not placed here because of its significant length. 
When we first look at it, it is in four sections. However, it is not any more special than other epistles written by political aspirants during the Tang!
The four key items that appear in these letters(Kroll 115):
# The whole world admires you, Your Honor!
# Poet's background and ambitions.
# Oh you are the final judge of all literature! Please look at some of my writings.
# Please help me!

This is basically the "warming of scrolls" discussed earlier! However, reading through it, we can find very interesting things that other letters do not have. 
The most noticeable is the air of (almost audacious!) self-confidence! <blockquote>''Although I am not quite a six-footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers admit that I have moral courage and high principles.''</blockquote>This is completely out of place with a letter that asks for help (Kroll 112)! This sort of practice would surely offend someone, being different then the accepted ways. The letter is amazing in how the tone almost reflects how terrible it would be if Han Ching-chou ''did not'' recommend him (Knoll 131). Although Li Bai did get around to praising him, it was rather cliched (the ending story used). Li Bai hardly knew this man. But that did not cause him to use restraint in his language (Wu 70). It is safe to say that this letter would be '''unthinkable''' coming from anyone else. But in terms of Li Bai's writings, it was practically normal (Mair 134). It is arguable that Li Bai is too extravagant. In the letter we see him discussing how at the age of fifteen, he liked swordsmanship. I say Li Bai was a very melodramatic person, who enjoyed posturing grandly. The fact that he was unable to keep this sort of writing out of (what should have been) normal, workday prose only supports my argument. To offer a comparison to a regular letter, I present Han Yu's "Letter to Secretary Li.(Mair 143)" <blockquote>On a certain day and month, the military attendant and former holder of a professorship in the College of Four Doors, Han Yii, twice prostrates himself to Your Honor the Grand Prefect. 
It has been fifteen years now since I came to the Capital. The high-ranking
ministers and important officials whom I have met are so many as to be un-
countable. They all are able to maintain themselves in office, do their duty, avoid
error, and that is all. I have not yet seen anyone who so thoroughly devotes him-
self to the service of the Emperor, nor one who worries about his country as though
it were his own family as you, Sir, do. 
This year, it has already been a hundred and more days now since any rain has fallen. The seed does not enter the earth and there is no green grass in the countryside. And, yet, robbers and thieves do not dare to rise up nor do the grain merchants dare to raise their prices. The people of the hundred wards, twenty
bureaus, six armies, and twenty-four districts all behave as though Your Honor were personally visiting them in their homes. Inveterate brigands and habitual bandits shrink back into hiding and are eradicated. Their souls vanish and their spirits fade; their shadows disappear and their traces are cut off. If it had not been for Your Honor's establishing order, reducing antagonistic elements to submission, and publishing abroad the majesty and virtue of the Son of Heaven, how could all of this have been attained? As for myself, I have been engaged in the study of letters since my youth. Whenever I encounter one who is loyal to his ruler or filial to his parents, even though he lived a thousand or a hundred years ago, I still respect and reverence him.
How then with Your Honor, whom I have personally met, could I fail to wait in attendance upon you, hoping to emulate your earnestness? 
I respectfully present you with two scrolls of my writings. In all, there are fifteen pieces. I am not so bold as to consider them literary but rather think of them as a sort of intermediary through which to gain an audience. You have only to order whether I advance or retreat. Frightened, I twice prostrate myself. </blockquote>

 
[[File:Han_Yu.jpg|thumb|left|Han Yu]]Notice that Han Yu does not pay any attention to himself, compared to Li Bai's narcissistic ramblings. This letter is very succulent, and businesslike. 
note that it covers all four sections as needed:
#Opens by flattering the subject
#Asks if the author can be given the opportunity to serve him.
#Offers some pieces (usually the "reason" why the letter was sent).
#Glorified closing.

Basically, Li Bai was extremely ill-mannered! This genre called for meekness, humility, and sycophancy (Mair 147). Li Bai completely and utterly disregarded these foundations. Note that this is not because he wanted to disestablish the society or anything, but because he was really self-conceited. 
I must comment that he might have done this because his situation is so helpless! Li Bai was unwilling to accept a small. insignificant position. He did not have very good connections. He believed he was the best at what he did, and this would be amazing to the ruler. All this might have fueled him to act this way in his utterly desperate situation. By stunning or annoying his readers, he might move somewhere. Li Bai, truth be told, was eccentric and (practically) arrogant. He could not follow the correct writing forms (not because he hated the government or society) and his issues prevented him from achieving his dreams in a realistic fashion. Later in his life we find masterfully composed pieces that reflect on his knowledge and ability to present it properly (Mair 150). Sadly his failure to advertise properly ultimately prevented him from serving as he wished.

====Summary====
Li Bai was not stupid; he knew exactly what he wanted, and (possibly) the best way to achieve them. The analysis of his actions provides insight into the issue: he was not satisfied with taking the normal route to official success; it had to be grander. His wish to immediately jump into a high position made his life difficult. Probably a misunderstood genius at the time, he failed to attract anyone of high power to promote him.

=Life Continued=
In 742 the Taoist priest Wu Yun spoke favorably of me when meeting with the Emperor. The Emperor then summoned me to court, where I impressed him so much he threw a giant banquet in my honor. In fact, my personality fascinated everyone. Even the great Taoist poet He Zhizhang gave me the nickname "Immortal Exiled from Heaven" (Wu 59). The Emperor gave me a position in the new Hanlin Academy, where I worked as a court poet. However by 744 I had been expelled from court. One interesting note is most of the time I was summoned to court, I was drunk. However, I was still very capable of doing poetry in this state. I refused to be bound by normal courtly decorum! One of my stories: I wrote several poems about the Emperor's beautiful and beloved Yang Guifei, the favorite royal consort.

Once, while drunk, I had gotten his boots muddy, and Gao Lishi, the most politically powerful eunuch in the palace, was asked to assist in the removal of these, in front of the emperor.

Gao, took offense at being asked to perform this menial service, and later managed to persuade Yang Guifei to take offense at my poems concerning her.

At the persuasion of Yang Guifei and Gao Lishi, Ming Huang reluctantly, but politely, and with large gifts of gold and silver, sent me away from the royal court.
 After being kicked out, I wandered some more and wrote poetry. In the autumn of 744 I met the amazing Du Fu, and met him once more the following year. While Du Fu wrote many poems to me, only one from I to him survives. At the end of 756, the An Lushan Rebellion began! In a nutshell, the Emperor fled, and the first Crown Prince declared himself head of the land. Seeking to survive, I became an adviser to one of the remaining princes. However, this prince lost, but I escaped. I was later captured! I was then imprisoned in Juijian, and was sentenced to death. But remember the soldier I rescued, Guo Ziyi? He had become a powerful general, and remembered me! He exchanged his rank for my life, and I was instead ordered to exile in Yelang. Luckily I was pardoned before I got there. 
I then continued my wandering lifestyle, but did not travel as extensively as before. Emperor Daizong did appoint me as a registrar but I died in 762, before the edict arrived. 
===Death===
I had (probably) died to natural causes, i.e. from all my drinking. This, however, did not stop the flood of legends about my death. Some claim I drowned, drunkenly attempting to embrace the reflection of the moon, while others assert that I was an immortal who returned to his heavenly abode, having completed his term of exile to earth to live among mortals (Mair 130)(Wu 71).

=Poetry=
I actually did do some calligraphy. However, only one piece survives today. While much of my poetry still survives, I did lose a lot of my work. 
*I had a strong sense of poetic tradition. with 1/6th of my poetry as yuefu.
*My imagery was great, and once I wrote from the persona of a woman.
*Admirations for certain particular poets shown by specific allusions.
**for example to Qu Yuan or Tao Yuanming, and occasionally by name, for example Du Fu.
*Remember I LOVED wine!!!

= References:=
==Powerpoint==
[[File:Li_Bai.pptx| Here]]
# Eide, Elling O. On Li Po. New Haven: Yale UP, 1973. Print.
# Liscomb, Kathlyn. "Iconic Events Illuminating the Immortality of Li Bai." ''Monumenta Serica'' 54 (2006): 75-118. JSTOR. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.
# Kohn, Livia. "Eternal Life in Taoist Mysticism." ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' 110.4 (1990): 622-40. JSTOR. Web. 1 Mar. 2012.
# Kroll, Paul W. "Li Po's Transcendent Diction." ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' Sinological Studies Dedicated to Edward H. Schafer 106.1 (1986): 99-117. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.
# Mair, Victor H. "Li Po's Letters in Pursuit of Political Patronage." ''Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies'' 44.1 (1984): 123-53. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.
# Wu, Jingxiong. The Four Seasons of Tʻang Poetry,. Rutland, VT: C.E. Tuttle, 1972. Print.

==Pictures==
#''Song Dynasty Painting of Imperial Examination''. History - Humanistic Spirit. Cultural China. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. <http://history.cultural-china.com/en/168History9790.html>.
# Image of Han Yu. Digital image. Web.
* Found in the book " "Wan hsiao tang-Chu chuang -Hua chuan（晩笑堂竹荘畫傳 " which is in public domain.

2012-03-05T05:59:42Z

ArnoldQ:

I am also known as '''Li Po'''.

Welcome to my page, for I am about to bring you on an incredible journey through my life, my works,and my immortality.

Let us begin!
=Life=
[[File:LiBai.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A painting of Li Bai.|A painting of me.]]
I was born in the year 701. Where, you ask? This has been a controversy for more than a millennium. While where I was born is not entirely known, the brashness and bravado of my poetic voice are characteristics of poets from this region (Wu 66).
There are theories that I could have been of Turkish decent. I am probably from a mercantile family (Eide 370).

My family dwelt in what is now Gansu. Evidence suggests that my family was banished during the Sui Dynasty, (due to a crime) and thus moved from Gansu. In 705 my family secretly moved to beautiful Sichuan (famous for its gigantic mountains and wonderful natural scenery), where I spent my childhood (Wu 57).

I read everything! Of course I read the Confucian Classics, but I also read things normal scholars abstained from, such as astrological and metaphysical texts (Eide 373).

In 761, Du Fu wrote this particular poem about me: (Wu 58)
<blockquote>''I have not seen Li Po for a long time-- 
''What a pitiable man with his feigned madness! 
''All the world wants to kill him: 
''I alone dote on his genius. 
''Quick-witted, he has hit off a thousand poems; 
''A waif in the world, his only home is in a cup of wine. 
''O my friend! 'Tis time to return to Ku'ang Shan, 
''Where you used to read books with such gusto.''</blockquote>
From this we can gather I used to study books in Ku'ang Shan, a mountain lying near the city of Chengtu.

I enjoyed taming birds and sword play. I was quite proficient in martial arts. 
By the time I was twenty, I had killed with my own hands several persons for chivalrous causes. ('''Author's note:''' Take that with a lump of salt. Could not be confirmed elsewhere). (Wu 58)
<blockquote>''“When I was fifteen, I was fond of sword play, and with that art I challenged quite a few great men.”'' -- Li Bai [Wu 58]</blockquote>

Around 725 I left home and became a wanderer. I sailed around, a truly wild spirit. I married the granddaughter of a retired Prime Minister, but even she (Hsu Hsin-shih, try saying that three times fast) could not tame me.
In 735, I wandered to Shansi, where one of the most important events of my life happened. Here I met Kuo Tzu-i, a humble soldier. I saved him from a court-martial by simply speaking to the commander.

----

===An Examination: Li Bai's Political Motives ===
====Author's Note: An Introduction: ====
This point in Li Bai's life is where things start moving rapidly. But there are key decisions and ideals that bring up questions. ''Why didn't he take the examinations?'' ''Why did he become a recluse? '' Here I intend to argue that his reasoning for this is simple: to gain political power.

==== Background ====

During the T'ang period, there were only four ways to get an official career:
# Take the Imperial Examination.
# Be recommended by someone in charge of an academy.
# Be recommended by a local/higher official.
# Be commended by the Emperor himself.

During the formation of dynasties, it can be derived that only methods 2 and 3 were used. However, even after the examination system was established, emperors still liked direct introductions from important people. Just doing extremely well on the examinations was not enough to get a good position (Eide 370). This is why it is very important that I befriend as many important figures as possible.
[[File:Imperial_examination.jpg|thumb|275px|left|alt=A painting of Li Bai.|Song Dynasty painting of examinations.]]
A common way used by other poets was to send a letter to an important person, and present a "profile" of their writings. Doing this several times was called "keeping the scrolls warm" (Mair 125).

Emperor Hsuan-tsung encouraged literati to rise up mainly using the examination system. However, I was much too impatient and wanted to rise to the top in a single leap. Demonstrating this, I refused to accept the Prefect of Kuang-han’s recommendation letter and did not participate in the usual examination. While either channels were perfectly good ways to get an official career, the slow progress would have been pure torture for me. I believed in what I called “the direct route to becoming a dragon” (Eide 126).

What exactly I meant no one really knows.

This contributed to my image of an uncompromising and ambitious individualist. While it may seem unique, I still had very conventional traits, such as in my [[Li_Bai#Poetry|poetry]]. 

==== Taoist Hermit: A lifestyle? Or cunning shortcut? ====
(Author's Note: Li Bai would have never openly admitted what I am suggesting here. This is now from me, Arnold's, point of view.)

Reclusion during the Tang period may have had hidden ulterior motives. As Mair so artfully states: <blockquote>
“It was as though one were saying to the officials
and even to the Emperor, "See how pure and aloof I am. If you
want to employ my talents, you must come and wrest me from
my blissful seclusion." ”</blockquote>

An example of this is Li Mi, who deliberately studied Taoism and became a hermit. 
He later became Prime Minister (Kohn 630).
 

It is claimed that Kao-Tsung, Empress Wu, and Hsuan-tsung liked to have "curiosities" at court. The strangeness of Taoist priests during this period was a successful way of attracting the attention of emperors (Kohn 631). Hsuan-tung was claimed to have kept seven resident hermits/Taoist priests (Kohn 632).

This practice is in fact so widespread that it birthed a satirical proverb (Mair 127):
<blockquote> "Chung-nan Mountain is a short cut." </blockquote>
The back story is about the scholar Lu Tsang-yung, who received an Advanced Scholar degree and wanted to enter an official career. However, now was not the right time (as decided by the emperor, so he became a hermit on Chung-nan Mountain. 
This mountain is very close to the capital, making it easy for the Emperor to summon monks and such.
And true enough, he was soon summoned by the Emperor. 
Around this time there was a famous Taoist priest named Ssu-ma Cheng-chen, who also lived on the mountain as a hermit, and had very good connections with the royal family. The tale goes with Ssu-ma returning to the mountain after a palace visit, and meeting upon Tsang-yung, who pointed to the mountain and asked "That's really a wonderful place, isn't it?" 
Cheng-chen answered: "As I see it, it's just a shortcut to becoming an official." With such tales, we can see why Li Bai might have been tempted to try this out himself (Mair 128). 
Continuing with both Li Bai's life and political "espionage", we find him traveling a lot during 726-742 (right where we left off), bringing him to numerous provinces, such as Hunan, Kiangsi, Honan, Shansi, and Shantung. But ''why''? 
We can derive two basic motives for this:
# Seek out the unusual and beautiful (Kohn 625). This would have given him some inspiration for his poetry, and also maybe an insight into Taoist immortality.
# The more important motive: to make friends and meet people- to be more specific: powerful people. Li Bai wanted them to help him through his "Dragon Gate", the road to official success, as per his plans (Mair 130)!

====Li Bai's "Letter to Han Ching-chou"====
Full Letter: [[Letter to Han Ching-chou]] 
Not placed here because of its significant length. 
When we first look at it, it is in four sections. However, it is not any more special than other epistles written by political aspirants during the Tang!
The four key items that appear in these letters(Kroll 115):
# The whole world admires you, Your Honor!
# Poet's background and ambitions.
# Oh you are the final judge of all literature! Please look at some of my writings.
# Please help me!

This is basically the "warming of scrolls" discussed earlier! However, reading through it, we can find very interesting things that other letters do not have. 
The most noticeable is the air of (almost audacious!) self-confidence! <blockquote>''Although I am not quite a six-footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers admit that I have moral courage and high principles.''</blockquote>This is completely out of place with a letter that asks for help (Kroll 112)! This sort of practice would surely offend someone, being different then the accepted ways. The letter is amazing in how the tone almost reflects how terrible it would be if Han Ching-chou ''did not'' recommend him (Knoll 131). Although Li Bai did get around to praising him, it was rather cliched (the ending story used). Li Bai hardly knew this man. But that did not cause him to use restraint in his language (Wu 70). It is safe to say that this letter would be '''unthinkable''' coming from anyone else. But in terms of Li Bai's writings, it was practically normal (Mair 134). It is arguable that Li Bai is too extravagant. In the letter we see him discussing how at the age of fifteen, he liked swordsmanship. I say Li Bai was a very melodramatic person, who enjoyed posturing grandly. The fact that he was unable to keep this sort of writing out of (what should have been) normal, workday prose only supports my argument. To offer a comparison to a regular letter, I present Han Yu's "Letter to Secretary Li.(Mair 143)" <blockquote>On a certain day and month, the military attendant and former holder of a
professorship in the College of Four Doors, Han Yii, twice prostrates himself
to Your Honor the Grand Prefect. 
It has been fifteen years now since I came to the Capital. The high-ranking
ministers and important officials whom I have met are so many as to be un-
countable. They all are able to maintain themselves in office, do their duty, avoid
error, and that is all. I have not yet seen anyone who so thoroughly devotes him-
self to the service of the Emperor, nor one who worries about his country as though
it were his own family as you, Sir, do. 
This year, it has already been a hundred and more days now since any rain has fallen. The seed does not enter the earth and there is no green grass in the countryside. And, yet, robbers and thieves do not dare to rise up nor do the grain merchants dare to raise their prices. The people of the hundred wards, twenty
bureaus, six armies, and twenty-four districts all behave as though Your Honor
were personally visiting them in their homes. Inveterate brigands and habitual
bandits shrink back into hiding and are eradicated. Their souls vanish and their
spirits fade; their shadows disappear and their traces are cut off. If it had not
been for Your Honor's establishing order, reducing antagonistic elements to
submission, and publishing abroad the majesty and virtue of the Son of Heaven,
how could all of this have been attained? As for myself, I have been engaged in the study of letters since my youth. When-
ever I encounter one who is loyal to his ruler or filial to his parents, even though
he lived a thousand or a hundred years ago, I still respect and reverence him.
How then with Your Honor, whom I have personally met, could I fail to wait
in attendance upon you, hoping to emulate your earnestness? 
I respectfully present you with two scrolls of my writings. In all, there are
fifteen pieces. I am not so bold as to consider them literary but rather think of
them as a sort of intermediary through which to gain an audience. You have only
to order whether I advance or retreat. Frightened, I twice prostrate myself. </blockquote>

 
Notice that Han Yu does not pay any attention to himself, compared to Li Bai's narcissistic ramblings.

====Summary====
Li Bai was not stupid; he knew exactly what he wanted, and (possibly) the best way to achieve them. The analysis of his actions provides insight into the issue: he was not satisfied with taking the normal route to official success; it had to be grander.

=Life Continued=

=Poetry=

= References:=
# Eide, Elling O. On Li Po. New Haven: Yale UP, 1973. Print.
# Liscomb, Kathlyn. "Iconic Events Illuminating the Immortality of Li Bai." ''Monumenta Serica'' 54 (2006): 75-118. JSTOR. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.
# Kohn, Livia. "Eternal Life in Taoist Mysticism." ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' 110.4 (1990): 622-40. JSTOR. Web. 1 Mar. 2012.
# Kroll, Paul W. "Li Po's Transcendent Diction." ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' Sinological Studies Dedicated to Edward H. Schafer 106.1 (1986): 99-117. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.
# Mair, Victor H. "Li Po's Letters in Pursuit of Political Patronage." ''Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies'' 44.1 (1984): 123-53. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.
# Wu, Jingxiong. The Four Seasons of Tʻang Poetry,. Rutland, VT: C.E. Tuttle, 1972. Print.

==Pictures==
#''Song Dynasty Painting of Imperial Examination''. History - Humanistic Spirit. Cultural China. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. <http://history.cultural-china.com/en/168History9790.html>.

Li Bai

2012-03-05T05:53:11Z

ArnoldQ: /* Li Bai's "Letter to Han Ching-chou" */

Li Bai

2012-03-05T05:46:39Z

ArnoldQ: /* Li Bai's "Letter to Han Ching-chou" */

Li Bai

2012-03-05T05:41:23Z

ArnoldQ:

Letter to Han Ching-chou

2012-03-05T05:36:20Z

ArnoldQ:

I have heard that, when the empire's chatty scholars gather together, they say
to each other, "During one's lifetime, it is not necessary to be a marquis with
the income from ten thousand households, if one could hope but once to make
the acquaintance of Han, the Governor of Ching-chou." How is it that you
have caused men to lionize you to such a degree ? Is it not because you have the
spirit of the Duke of Chou who, in his anxiety not to miss any callers, would interrupt his meals by spitting out his food and his bath by wringing his half-washed hair? The result is that all the elite within the realm rush to you and
give you their allegiance. Once having passed the hurdle of gaining your recommendation, their credit increases tenfold. Thus, those gentlemen who are
hidden away in retirement like coiled dragons and reclusive phoenixes are all
desirous of receiving a good name and establishing their worth with Your Honor.
I pray that your Honor does not pride himself on association with the rich and
noble nor scorn the poor and lowly. Then, if among your many guests there
would be a Mao Sui, should I but get a chance to show the tip of my head, I
shall be that man.

I am a commoner from Lung-hsi and have drifted here to Ching-chou. At
fifteen, I was fond of swordsmanship and ranged broadly in search of employment with various lords. At thirty, I became an accomplished litterateur and
contacted successively a number of high officers. Although I am not quite a six-footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers
admit that I have moral courage and high principles. This, then, has been my
past spiritual biography. How could I venture not to explain it fully to Your
Lordship ?

Your writings are worthy of the gods and your virtuous conduct moves Heaven
and Earth. Your pen is imbued with creative energy and your scholarship plumbs
heavenly principles and human affairs. I hope, because of your open-mindedness
and good nature, that I shall have the good fortune not to meet with a refusal in
making this low bow before you. If you receive me with grand feasts, give free
rein to my untrammelled discourse, and then request that I attempt to indite
ten thousand words a day, just wait! I'll dash them off on the spur of the moment.' Today, the whole Empire holds you to be the life-and-death arbiter in
literary matters and the scales upon which men are weighed. Once having been
adjudged worthy by you, one can then be a superb scholar. So why should you
begrudge me a modest space before your stairs, thus neither allowing me a feeling
of pride and self-fulfillment nor stimulating me to rise up to the cloudy blue?

Of old, when Wang Tzu-shih was serving as Governor of Yu-chou, he summoned Hsiun Tz'u-ming even before he had assumed office. And, when he did
assume office, he summoned K'ung Wen-chu. When Shan T'ao was acting as
Governor of Chi-chou, he picked out more than thirty individuals who became
either court attendants or state secretaries, for which he was admired by earlier
generations. Your Lordship, as well, had but to recommend Harmonizer of the
Scales Yen and he was admitted to the court as secretary in the Imperial Library.
Among others, there are people like Ts'ui Tsung-chih, Fang Hsi-tsu, Li Hsin,
and Hsu Jung, some of whom made your acquaintance because of their reputation for brilliance and some of whom were appreciated by you because of their
unimpeachable character. I have often observed their introspective devotion and
the way they exert themselves in acts of loyalty. As a result, I am deeply impressed and realize the empathy which you extend to worthy individuals. Therefore, I shall not give my allegiance to anyone else but willingly entrust myself
to you who are without peer in our land. Should you ever get into difficulty such
that I might be of use to you, may I be so bold as to offer, in gratitude, my humble
services ? Yet none of us is a Yao or a Shun. Who can be perfect? How could I
be so presumptuous as to boast of my counsels and plans? As for my own writings,
I have accumulated a large number of scrolls. Although I flatter myself that
you will deign to look at them, I fear that these "insect carvings" and trivial
exercises will not suit Your Honor's taste. If you would do me the favor of reading my rustic pieces, please provide me with paper and ink along with a copyist.
Then I shall retreat to a vacant room and, having tidied it up, will have a copy
of them made to present to you. This is similar to the increased value which would
accrue to the sword, Green Duckweed, by placing it at the door of Hsueh Chu
and to the gem, Congealed Greenness, by placing it at the door of Pien Ho.

May you extend your blessings to me in my lowly station, greatly encouraging
and rewarding me. It all depends on how Your Lordship views the matter.

= Reference:=
#Mair, Victor H. "Li Po's Letters in Pursuit of Political Patronage." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 44.1 (1984): 123-53. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.

Li Bai

2012-03-05T05:30:16Z

ArnoldQ: /* Li Bai's "Letter to Han Ching-chou */

Letter to Han Ching-chou

2012-03-05T05:20:03Z

ArnoldQ:

I have heard that, when the empire's chatty scholars gather together, they say
to each other, "During one's lifetime, it is not necessary to be a marquis with
the income from ten thousand households, if one could hope but once to make
the acquaintance of Han, the Governor of Ching-chou." How is it that you
have caused men to lionize you to such a degree ? Is it not because you have the
spirit of the Duke of Chou who, in his anxiety not to miss any callers, would interrupt his meals by spitting out his food and his bath by wringing his half-
washed hair? The result is that all the elite within the realm rush to you and
give you their allegiance. Once having passed the hurdle of gaining your recommendation, their credit increases tenfold. Thus, those gentlemen who are
hidden away in retirement like coiled dragons and reclusive phoenixes are all
desirous of receiving a good name and establishing their worth with Your Honor.
I pray that your Honor does not pride himself on association with the rich and
noble nor scorn the poor and lowly. Then, if among your many guests there
would be a Mao Sui, should I but get a chance to show the tip of my head, I
shall be that man.

I am a commoner from Lung-hsi and have drifted here to Ching-chou. At
fifteen, I was fond of swordsmanship and ranged broadly in search of employment with various lords. At thirty, I became an accomplished litterateur and
contacted successively a number of high officers. Although I am not quite a six-
footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers
admit that I have moral courage and high principles. This, then, has been my
past spiritual biography. How could I venture not to explain it fully to Your
Lordship ?

Your writings are worthy of the gods and your virtuous conduct moves Heaven
and Earth. Your pen is imbued with creative energy and your scholarship plumbs
heavenly principles and human affairs. I hope, because of your open-mindedness
and good nature, that I shall have the good fortune not to meet with a refusal in
making this low bow before you. If you receive me with grand feasts, give free
rein to my untrammelled discourse, and then request that I attempt to indite
ten thousand words a day, just wait! I'll dash them off on the spur of the moment.' Today, the whole Empire holds you to be the life-and-death arbiter in
literary matters and the scales upon which men are weighed. Once having been
adjudged worthy by you, one can then be a superb scholar. So why should you
begrudge me a modest space before your stairs, thus neither allowing me a feeling
of pride and self-fulfillment nor stimulating me to rise up to the cloudy blue?

Of old, when Wang Tzu-shih was serving as Governor of Yu-chou, he summoned Hsiun Tz'u-ming even before he had assumed office. And, when he did
assume office, he summoned K'ung Wen-chu. When Shan T'ao was acting as
Governor of Chi-chou, he picked out more than thirty individuals who became
either court attendants or state secretaries, for which he was admired by earlier
generations. Your Lordship, as well, had but to recommend Harmonizer of the
Scales Yen and he was admitted to the court as secretary in the Imperial Library.
Among others, there are people like Ts'ui Tsung-chih, Fang Hsi-tsu, Li Hsin,
and Hsu Jung, some of whom made your acquaintance because of their reputa-
tion for brilliance and some of whom were appreciated by you because of their
unimpeachable character. I have often observed their introspective devotion and
the way they exert themselves in acts of loyalty. As a result, I am deeply im-
pressed and realize the empathy which you extend to worthy individuals. There-
fore, I shall not give my allegiance to anyone else but willingly entrust myself
to you who are without peer in our land. Should you ever get into difficulty such
that I might be of use to you, may I be so bold as to offer, in gratitude, my humble
services ? Yet none of us is a Yao or a Shun. Who can be perfect? How could I
be so presumptuous as to boast of my counsels and plans? As for my own writings,
I have accumulated a large number of scrolls. Although I flatter myself that
you will deign to look at them, I fear that these "insect carvings" and trivial
exercises will not suit Your Honor's taste. If you would do me the favor of reading my rustic pieces, please provide me with paper and ink along with a copyist.
Then I shall retreat to a vacant room and, having tidied it up, will have a copy
of them made to present to you. This is similar to the increased value which would
accrue to the sword, Green Duckweed, by placing it at the door of Hsueh Chu
and to the gem, Congealed Greenness, by placing it at the door of Pien Ho.

May you extend your blessings to me in my lowly station, greatly encouraging
and rewarding me. It all depends on how Your Lordship views the matter.

= Reference:=
#Mair, Victor H. "Li Po's Letters in Pursuit of Political Patronage." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 44.1 (1984): 123-53. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.

Letter to Han Ching-chou

2012-03-05T05:19:13Z

ArnoldQ:

I have heard that, when the empire's chatty scholars gather together, they say
to each other, "During one's lifetime, it is not necessary to be a marquis with
the income from ten thousand households, if one could hope but once to make
the acquaintance of Han, the Governor of Ching-chou." How is it that you
have caused men to lionize you to such a degree ? Is it not because you have the
spirit of the Duke of Chou who, in his anxiety not to miss any callers, would interrupt his meals by spitting out his food and his bath by wringing his half-
washed hair? The result is that all the elite within the realm rush to you and
give you their allegiance. Once having passed the hurdle of gaining your recommendation, their credit increases tenfold. Thus, those gentlemen who are
hidden away in retirement like coiled dragons and reclusive phoenixes are all
desirous of receiving a good name and establishing their worth with Your Honor.
I pray that your Honor does not pride himself on association with the rich and
noble nor scorn the poor and lowly. Then, if among your many guests there
would be a Mao Sui, should I but get a chance to show the tip of my head, I
shall be that man.

I am a commoner from Lung-hsi and have drifted here to Ching-chou. At
fifteen, I was fond of swordsmanship and ranged broadly in search of employment with various lords. At thirty, I became an accomplished litterateur and
contacted successively a number of high officers. Although I am not quite a six-
footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers
admit that I have moral courage and high principles. This, then, has been my
past spiritual biography. How could I venture not to explain it fully to Your
Lordship ?

Your writings are worthy of the gods and your virtuous conduct moves Heaven
and Earth. Your pen is imbued with creative energy and your scholarship plumbs
heavenly principles and human affairs. I hope, because of your open-mindedness
and good nature, that I shall have the good fortune not to meet with a refusal in
making this low bow before you. If you receive me with grand feasts, give free
rein to my untrammelled discourse, and then request that I attempt to indite
ten thousand words a day, just wait! I'll dash them off on the spur of the moment.' Today, the whole Empire holds you to be the life-and-death arbiter in
literary matters and the scales upon which men are weighed. Once having been
adjudged worthy by you, one can then be a superb scholar. So why should you
begrudge me a modest space before your stairs, thus neither allowing me a feeling
of pride and self-fulfillment nor stimulating me to rise up to the cloudy blue?

Of old, when Wang Tzu-shih was serving as Governor of Yu-chou, he summoned Hsiun Tz'u-ming even before he had assumed office. And, when he did
assume office, he summoned K'ung Wen-chu. When Shan T'ao was acting as
Governor of Chi-chou, he picked out more than thirty individuals who became
either court attendants or state secretaries, for which he was admired by earlier
generations. Your Lordship, as well, had but to recommend Harmonizer of the
Scales Yen and he was admitted to the court as secretary in the Imperial Library.
Among others, there are people like Ts'ui Tsung-chih, Fang Hsi-tsu, Li Hsin,
and Hsu Jung, some of whom made your acquaintance because of their reputa-
tion for brilliance and some of whom were appreciated by you because of their
unimpeachable character. I have often observed their introspective devotion and
the way they exert themselves in acts of loyalty. As a result, I am deeply im-
pressed and realize the empathy which you extend to worthy individuals. There-
fore, I shall not give my allegiance to anyone else but willingly entrust myself
to you who are without peer in our land. Should you ever get into difficulty such
that I might be of use to you, may I be so bold as to offer, in gratitude, my humble
services ? Yet none of us is a Yao or a Shun. Who can be perfect? How could I
be so presumptuous as to boast of my counsels and plans? As for my own writings,
I have accumulated a large number of scrolls. Although I flatter myself that
you will deign to look at them, I fear that these "insect carvings" and trivial
exercises will not suit Your Honor's taste. If you would do me the favor of reading my rustic pieces, please provide me with paper and ink along with a copyist.
Then I shall retreat to a vacant room and, having tidied it up, will have a copy
of them made to present to you. This is similar to the increased value which would
accrue to the sword, Green Duckweed, by placing it at the door of Hsueh Chu
and to the gem, Congealed Greenness, by placing it at the door of Pien Ho.

May you extend your blessings to me in my lowly station, greatly encouraging
and rewarding me. It all depends on how Your Lordship views the matter.

Letter to Han Ching-chou

2012-03-05T05:18:10Z

ArnoldQ: Created page with 'I have heard that, when the empire's chatty scholars gather together, they say to each other, "During one's lifetime, it is not necessary to…'

I have heard that, when the empire's chatty scholars gather together, they say
to each other, "During one's lifetime, it is not necessary to be a marquis with
the income from ten thousand households, if one could hope but once to make
the acquaintance of Han, the Governor of Ching-chou." How is it that you
have caused men to lionize you to such a degree ? Is it not because you have the
spirit of the Duke of Chou who, in his anxiety not to miss any callers, would interrupt his meals by spitting out his food and his bath by wringing his half-
washed hair? The result is that all the elite within the realm rush to you and
give you their allegiance. Once having passed the hurdle of gaining your recommendation, their credit increases tenfold. Thus, those gentlemen who are
hidden away in retirement like coiled dragons and reclusive phoenixes are all
desirous of receiving a good name and establishing their worth with Your Honor.
I pray that your Honor does not pride himself on association with the rich and
noble nor scorn the poor and lowly. Then, if among your many guests there
would be a Mao Sui, should I but get a chance to show the tip of my head, I
shall be that man.
I am a commoner from Lung-hsi and have drifted here to Ching-chou. At
fifteen, I was fond of swordsmanship and ranged broadly in search of employment with various lords. At thirty, I became an accomplished litterateur and
contacted successively a number of high officers. Although I am not quite a six-
footer, I am braver than ten thousand men. Princes, dukes, and high ministers
admit that I have moral courage and high principles. This, then, has been my
past spiritual biography. How could I venture not to explain it fully to Your
Lordship ?
Your writings are worthy of the gods and your virtuous conduct moves Heaven
and Earth. Your pen is imbued with creative energy and your scholarship plumbs
heavenly principles and human affairs. I hope, because of your open-mindedness
and good nature, that I shall have the good fortune not to meet with a refusal in
making this low bow before you. If you receive me with grand feasts, give free
rein to my untrammelled discourse, and then request that I attempt to indite
ten thousand words a day, just wait! I'll dash them off on the spur of the moment.' Today, the whole Empire holds you to be the life-and-death arbiter in
literary matters and the scales upon which men are weighed. Once having been
adjudged worthy by you, one can then be a superb scholar. So why should you
begrudge me a modest space before your stairs, thus neither allowing me a feeling
of pride and self-fulfillment nor stimulating me to rise up to the cloudy blue?
Of old, when Wang Tzu-shih was serving as Governor of Yu-chou, he summoned Hsiun Tz'u-ming even before he had assumed office. And, when he did
assume office, he summoned K'ung Wen-chu. When Shan T'ao was acting as
Governor of Chi-chou, he picked out more than thirty individuals who became
either court attendants or state secretaries, for which he was admired by earlier
generations. Your Lordship, as well, had but to recommend Harmonizer of the
Scales Yen and he was admitted to the court as secretary in the Imperial Library.
Among others, there are people like Ts'ui Tsung-chih, Fang Hsi-tsu, Li Hsin,
and Hsu Jung, some of whom made your acquaintance because of their reputa-
tion for brilliance and some of whom were appreciated by you because of their
unimpeachable character. I have often observed their introspective devotion and
the way they exert themselves in acts of loyalty. As a result, I am deeply im-
pressed and realize the empathy which you extend to worthy individuals. There-
fore, I shall not give my allegiance to anyone else but willingly entrust myself
to you who are without peer in our land. Should you ever get into difficulty such
that I might be of use to you, may I be so bold as to offer, in gratitude, my humble
services ? Yet none of us is a Yao or a Shun. Who can be perfect? How could I
be so presumptuous as to boast of my counsels and plans? As for my own writings,
I have accumulated a large number of scrolls. Although I flatter myself that
you will deign to look at them, I fear that these "insect carvings" and trivial
exercises will not suit Your Honor's taste. If you would do me the favor of reading my rustic pieces, please provide me with paper and ink along with a copyist.
Then I shall retreat to a vacant room and, having tidied it up, will have a copy
of them made to present to you. This is similar to the increased value which would
accrue to the sword, Green Duckweed, by placing it at the door of Hsueh Chu
and to the gem, Congealed Greenness, by placing it at the door of Pien Ho.
May you extend your blessings to me in my lowly station, greatly encouraging
and rewarding me. It all depends on how Your Lordship views the matter.

Li Bai

2012-03-05T05:14:57Z

ArnoldQ: