Du Fu
(712–760), Chinese poet. Du Fu, who was also known as Zimei, is commonly recognized as the greatest poet in Chinese history and is referred to as the "Poet-Historian" or "Poet-Sage." The Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) was beset by the An Lushan rebellion just as Du Fu was seeking advancement as an official, so he experienced firsthand the decline of China's greatest dynasty. His own failures and frustrations in official life, criticism of the wrongdoings of those in power, praise of good officials, and sympathy for the common people became the main themes of his poetry, which presents a vivid picture of his troubled times. A prolific writer, with over 1,400 surviving poems, Du Fu was proficient in various poetic forms. He rigidly complied with the rules for regulated verse, but he also composed in various "ancient style" formal types, as well as creating new forms. Seen as exemplary in both prosody and morality, with his poems the focus of the attentions of generations of scholars and commentators, Du Fu became a paragon in traditional China for readers and poets alike.
Further Reading
Chou, Eva Shan. (1995) Reconsidering Tu Fu: Literary Greatness and Cultural Context. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Davis, A. R. (1971) Tu Fu. New York: Twayne Publishers.
Hung, William. (1952) Tu Fu, China's Greatest Poet. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
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