 
 Li Bai (Li
Po) (c. 705-762) Taoist Chinese poet of the
Tang
dynasty (618-907). He used traditional literary
forms, but his exuberance, the boldness of his
imagination, and the intensity of his feeling
have won him recognition as perhaps the greatest
of all Chinese poets. Although he was mostly
concerned with higher themes, he is also
remembered for his celebratory verses on
drinking.
The Tang dynasty has been acclaimed the
Golden Age of Chinese poetry,
bequeathing the works of 2,000 poets
ranging from emperors and scholars to
peasants, monks, and courtesans.
 Li Bai,
an adherent of the philosophy of Taoism,
along with Du Fu, a follower of
Confucianism, were the two most
distinguished poets of the era. The Tang
poets benefited by a legacy from their
predecessors of many new devices and
techniques in prosody, as well as a
great variety of styles and types of
poetry.
Li Bai, however, was daring
enough to create a new world with his
unbridled imagination and bursting
vitality. His rich work, celebrating
wine, women, and the beauty of nature,
is characterized by a fairy-tale beauty
and musicality unattained by other
poets.
As poet
laureate at the court of
Emperor Xuanzong
from 743 to 745 he was directly involved with
both the Emperor and
Yang GuiFei. During
his time there he wrote three poems about the
favorite concubine, one of which, in comparing
her with a past beauty, was deemed insulting,
leading to his expulsion from the court.
A member of the minor nobility,
he was born in the province of Sichuan. He spent much of
his life as a wanderer and student of Taoist philosophy.
The poet was reputedly drowned while trying to kiss the
moon's reflection from a boat.
Hutchinson
Encyclopedia (edited and with additional entries by Mark
Troop)
Explore the Main Characters:
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The Emperor
Tang XuanZong |
The Princess
Yang GuiFei |
The Prince
Li Mao |
The Barbarian
An Lushan |
The Servant
Gao Lishi |
The Chief
Minister
Yang Guozhong |
The Poet
Li Bai |
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