Li Bai
Life
My Name is Li Bai. Some may know me as Li Po or even occasionally as Li Bo. I prefer Li Bai as it most closely represents my family heritage. Some may ask what my heritage is, where I came from and who I am. Here I will tell. I was born in the year 701 C.E. The actual location has been a controversy for more than a millennium and many scholars have argued this to no avail. Some will place my birth in western China near Gansu, where others place it closer to Kyrgyzstan. I have also heard of reports being closer to Kazakhstan and even Tajikistan (PoemHunter). While where I was born is not entirely known, the brashness and bravado of my poetic voice are characteristics of poets from this region to the west of the main parts of China (Wu 66). There are theories that I could have been of Turkish decent, mainly from my mother's side (PoetLiBai).
My family dwelt in what is now Gansu. I grew up here for a few years in my early life. Evidence suggests that my family was banished during the Sui Dynasty, (due to a crime) and thus moved to 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. Reading these texts set me apart from many others during that time period. This helped me to succeed in life and progress to greater heights than others (Eide 373).
In 761, Du Fu wrote this particular poem about me: (Wu 58)
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.
From this we can gather I used to study books in Ku'ang Shan, a mountain lying near the city of Chengtu.
The Beginning of my Wandering
I enjoyed taming birds and sword play. I was quite proficient in martial arts.
“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]
Around 725 I left home and became a wanderer. I sailed around, a truly wild spirit. This is where I began to truly find the first two loves of my life. First, and most importantly, wine. Secondly, the woman I married. I married the granddaughter of a retired Prime Minister. I loved her very much 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. From here I wandered most the rest of my life, staying in some places for a few years before getting the urge to up and leave once again. I just could not be grounded. I enjoyed the free life of wandering, and the experiences it brought.
An Examination: Li Bai's Political Motives
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.
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). These are things that I needed to do since I refused to take the civil exam. It is argued that the test was "beneath me" (PoemHunter). What do you think?
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 poetry.
Taoist Hermit: A lifestyle? Or cunning shortcut?
Reclusion during the Tang period may have had hidden ulterior motives. As Mair so artfully states:
“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." ”
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):
"Chung-nan Mountain is a short cut."
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 I might have been tempted to try this out myself (Mair 128).
Continuing with both my life and political "espionage", we find I traveled a lot during 726-742 (right where we left off), bringing me 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 me some inspiration for my 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. I wanted them to help me through my "Dragon Gate", the road to official success, as per my 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!
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 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.
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 me 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 and that is when life got worse.
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 or modern day Yunan Province. Luckily I was pardoned before I even 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
My death comes as much as a mystery as my birth did. I guess this is fitting. I was a mysterious person, so coming into this life and leaving it on grounds of mystery that still last today suits me very well. Flood of legends about my death continue even today as no one knows the exact reason. 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).
Famous Works
Calligraphy
I am most famous for my poetry. However, I can also be known as one with great calligraphy. The only problem today is that none of my calligraphy, save one piece, has been preserved. The picture above is the last known remaining calligraphy today. So as far as calligraphy goes, my legend will continue as far a scholars are willing to take it.
Poetry
- I had a strong sense of poetic tradition. with 1/6th of my poetry as yuefu.
- 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.
I wrote much poetry and in the famous book of 300 Tang Poems, It contains 34 of my writings. In my writings I wrote quite a bit about wine, mainly because this truly was the love of my life. I also wrote in different persona, most famously as a woman.
Here below I will amaze you with some of my great works. If I were you, I would sit down and get ready for the ride of my life.
The first poem below will show you what a GREAT love of wine and alcohol I had.
Drinking Alone by Moonlight
From a pot of wine among the flowers
I drank alone. There was no one with me –
Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
Alas, the moon was unable to drink
And my shadow tagged me vacantly;
But still for a while I had these friends
To cheer me through the end of spring....
I sang. The moon encouraged me.
I danced. My shadow tumbled after.
As long as I knew, we were boon companions.
And then I was drunk, and we lost one another.
...Shall goodwill ever be secure?
I watch the long road of the River of Stars.
(Tang Shi)
This next one shows the diversity and intellect of my writings as I use the persona of a young woman.
Song of Chang'An
My hair had hardly covered my forehead.
I was picking flowers, paying by my door,
When you, my lover, on a bamboo horse,
Came trotting in circles and throwing green plums.
We lived near together on a lane in Ch'ang-kan,
Both of us young and happy-hearted.
...At fourteen I became your wife,
So bashful that I dared not smile,
And I lowered my head toward a dark corner
And would not turn to your thousand calls;
But at fifteen I straightened my brows and laughed,
Learning that no dust could ever seal our love,
That even unto death I would await you by my post
And would never lose heart in the tower of silent watching.
...Then when I was sixteen, you left on a long journey
Through the Gorges of Ch'u-t'ang, of rock and whirling water.
And then came the Fifth-month, more than I could bear,
And I tried to hear the monkeys in your lofty far-off sky.
Your footprints by our door, where I had watched you go,
Were hidden, every one of them, under green moss,
Hidden under moss too deep to sweep away.
And the first autumn wind added fallen leaves.
And now, in the Eighth-month, yellowing butterflies
Hover, two by two, in our west-garden grasses
And, because of all this, my heart is breaking
And I fear for my bright cheeks, lest they fade.
...Oh, at last, when you return through the three Pa districts,
Send me a message home ahead!
And I will come and meet you and will never mind the distance,
All the way to Chang-feng Sha.
(Tang Shi)
This third piece of work shows the bond Poets of our time hard to one another (ex. Du Fu, Ou Yang, and Meng Haoran) This work is to my mentor, Meng Haoran
A Message to Meng Haoran
Master, I hail you from my heart,
And your fame arisen to the skies....
Renouncing in ruddy youth the importance of hat and chariot,
You chose pine-trees and clouds; and now, whitehaired,
Drunk with the moon, a sage of dreams,
Flower- bewitched, you are deaf to the Emperor....
High mountain, how I long to reach you,
Breathing your sweetness even here!
(Tang Shi)
Today's Influence
This last poem shows how even 1300 years later, I still influence people today, and ore importantly the youth of China. The below Poem is a short and powerful piece of mine that kids in school still are required to memorize from an early age (Poet Heroes)
References:
Powerpoint
- 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.