Li Po's family was originally from China, but his great-grandfather had been sent into exile almost a century before, for unknown reasons. Li Po was born in 701, most likely in central Asia. When he was four, his family moved back to China, settling in Mien-chou in the southeastern province of Szechwan.

There is little record of his life. Much of what is written comes from Li Po himself and is of uncertain veracity. He is said to have worked for a while as a knight errant, tracking and killing people who had committed crimes. He left Szechwan some time around 724 and traveled extensively throughout the eastern and central regions of China and abroad. In 727, he married and settled down for eight years in An-lu in Hupei. After the death of his wife, Li Po left An-lu and traveled up the Yangtze River for several years.

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