Tang poetry refers to poetry

Poetry

Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...

 written in or around the time of and in the characteristic style of China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

's Tang dynasty

Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...

, (June 18, 618 - June 4, 907, including the 690-705 reign of Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...

) and/or follows a certain style, often considered as the Golden Age

Golden Age

The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...

 of Chinese poetry

Chinese poetry

Chinese poetry is poetry written, spoken, or chanted in the Chinese language, which includes various versions of Chinese language, including Classical Chinese, Standard Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Yue Chinese, as well as many other historical and vernacular varieties of the Chinese language...

. According to a compilation, the Quantangshi

Quantangshi

The Quantangshi , and also translated as the Complete Tang Poems, is a collection of Tang poetry...

, created under the Kangxi emperor of the Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

, there were almost 50,000 Tang poems written by over 2,200 authors. During the Tang Dynasty, poetry continued to be an important part of social life at all levels of society. Scholars were required to master poetry for the civil service examinations, but the art was theoretically available to everyone. This led to a large record of poetry and poets, a partial record of which survives today. Two of the most famous poets of the period were Du Fu

Du Fu

Du Fu was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.Along with Li Bai , he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations...

 and Li Bai

Li Bai

Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...

.

The Importance of Tang Poetry

The poetry of the Tang Dynasty is important for several reasons. It is important in the field of Chinese literature and Chinese poetry, within which it has had especial note. Tang poetry has had an on-going influence on world literature and modern and quasi-modern poetry. Furthermore, because of the prevalence of rhymed and parallel structures within Tang poetry, it has a role in linguistics studies and the study of the development of Modern Chinese, in its various forms.

The Pre-Tang Poetic Tradition

The poetic tradition inherited by the Tang poets was immense and diverse. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, there was already a continuous Chinese body of poetry dating back for over a thousand years. Indeed, Chinese poetry may well embody more material and recognize a longer tradition than any other type of world literature. Such works as the Chu Ci

Chu Ci

Chu Ci , also known as Songs of the South or Songs of Chu, is an anthology of Chinese verse traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States Period, though about half of the poems seem to have been composed several centuries later, during the Han Dynasty...

and Shijing were by no means the only major influences on Tang poetry. In fact, Burton Watson characterizes the poetry of the Sui and early Tang as "a mere continuation of Six Dynasties

Six Dynasties

Six Dynasties is a collective noun for six Chinese dynasties during the periods of the Three Kingdoms , Jin Dynasty , and Southern and Northern Dynasties ....

 genres and styles".

History of Tang poetry

The Tang Dynasty covers a time period of many major social and probably linguistic upheavals. Thus, the genre may be divided into several major more-or-less chronological divisions, based on developmental stages or stylistic groupings (sometimes even on personal friendships between poets). It should be remembered that poets may be somewhat arbitrarily assigned to these based on their presumed biographical dates (not always known); furthermore that the lifetimes of poets toward the beginning or end of this period may overlap with the preceding Sui Dynasty

Sui Dynasty

The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....

 or the succeeding Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...

. The chronology of Tang poetry may be divided into four parts: Beginning Tang, Flourishing Tang, Middle Tang, and Late Tang.

Beginning Tang

In Beginning Tang (初唐), the earliest poets to develop the foundation what is now considered to be the Tang style of poetry inherited a rich and deep literary and poetic tradition, or several traditions. The Beginning Tang poetry is subdivided into early, middle and late phases.

• Some of the initial poets who began to develop what is considered to be the Tang Dynasty style of poetry were heavily influenced by the Court Style of the Southern Dynasties (南朝宫), referring to the Southern Dynasties of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
  Southern and Northern Dynasties
  The Southern and Northern Dynasties was a period in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589 AD. Though an age of civil war and political chaos, it was also a time of flourishing arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spreading of Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism...
  
   time period (420-589 CE) that preceded the short-lived Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE). The Southern Dynasty Court (or Palace) poems tended towards an ornate and flowery style and particular vocabulary, partly passed on through continuity of certain governmental individuals who were also poets, during the transition from Sui to Tang
  Transition from Sui to Tang
  The transition from Sui to Tang refers to a period in which the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty disintegrated into a number of short-lived states, some ruled by former Sui officials and generals and some by agrarian rebel leaders, and then those states were consolidated into Tang Dynasty, founded by...
  
  . This group includes the emperor Li Shimin
  Emperor Taizong of Tang
  Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
  
  , the calligrapher Yu Shinan
  Yu Shinan
  Yu Shinan , courtesy name Boshi , was a master of calligraphy in early Tang Dynasty. He was also a paramount official, litterateur and well known confucian scholar in Emperor Taizong of Tang's era....
  
  , Zhe Liang (禇亮), Li Baiyao
  Li Baiyao
  Li Baiyao , courtesy name Zhonggui , formally Viscount Kang of Anping , was a Chinese historian and an official during the Chinese dynasties Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty. He was honored for his literary abilities, and he was known for completing the official history of Northern Qi, the Book of...
  
  , the governmental official Shangguan Yi
  Shangguan Yi
  Shangguan Yi , courtesy name Youshao , formally Duke of Chu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong...
  
  , and his granddaughter, the governmental official and later imperial consort Shangguan Wan'er
  Shangguan Wan'er
  Shangguan Wan'er , imperial consort rank Zhaorong , posthumous name Wenhui , was the granddaughter of Shangguan Yi and was one of the women most famous in Chinese history for her talent...
  
  . Indeed, there were many others, as this was a culture that placed a great emphasis on literature and poetry, at least for persons in official capacity and their social intimates.
• Representative of the middle phase of early Tang were the so-called "Four Literary Friends:" poets Li Jiao, Su Weidao
  Su Weidao
  Su Weidao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
  
  , Cui Rong (崔融, 653-706), and Du Shenyan
  Du Shenyan
  Du Shenyan​ , and whose name, especially in older English transliteration, appears as "Tu Shen-yen", was a poet of the Early Tang Dynasty, and one of whose poems was collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Biography:...
  
   (杜审言, from about 645-708). This represents a transitional phase.
• In the late phase the poetic style becomes more typical of what is considered as Tang poetry. A major influence was Wang Ji (585-644) upon the "Four Heroes of Early Tang (初唐四杰)
  Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang
  Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang is the a group name for four Chinese poets: Wang Bo, Yang Dong, Lu Zhaolin, and Luo Binwang. According to a Tang biography of Yang Dong, the four people enjoyed same popularity and fame in China...
  
  :" the poets Wang Bo
  Wang Bo
  Wang Bo , courtesy name Zi'an , was a Chinese poet in the Tang Dynasty.Wang Bo is one of the Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang, known as ChuTangSiJie . He opposed the spread of the Gong Ti Style of the Sui Dynasty, and advocated a style rich in emotions...
  
  , Yang Jiong (杨炯, 650-692), Lu Zhaolin (卢照邻, 632-695), and Luo Binwang
  Luo Binwang
  Luo Binwang , courtesy name Guanguang , was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. His family was from modern Wuzhou, Zhejiang, but he was raised in Shandong...
  
  . They each preferred to dispense with literary pretensions in favor of authenticity.
• Chen Zi'ang
  Chen Zi'ang
  Chen Ziang –702) was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. He was important in helping to bring into being the type of poetry which is considered to be characteristically "Tang". Dissatisfied with the current state of the affairs of poetry at the time, almost paradoxically, by keeping his eye...
  
   (陈子昂, 661-702) is credited with being the great poet who finally brought an end to the Beginning Tang period, casting away the ornate Court style in favor of a hard-hitting, authentic poetry which included political and social commentary (at great risk to himself), and thus leading the way to the greatness that was to come.

Flourishing Tang

In Flourishing Tang (盛唐), sometimes known as High Tang or Golden Tang, first appear the poets which would come to mind as Tang poets, at least in the United States and Europe. Flourishing Tang poetry had numerous schools of thought:

• The beginning part of this era, or style-period, include Zhang Jiuling
  Zhang Jiuling
  Zhang Jiuling , courtesy name Zishou , nickname Bowu , formally Count Wenxian of Shixing , was a prominent minister, noted poet and scholar of the Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.- Background :Zhang Jiuling was born in 673, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong...
  
   (张九龄, 678—740), Wang Han
  Wang Han
  Wang Han was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, with one of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Poetry:...
  
   (王翰), and Wang Wan (王湾). There were also the so-called Four Friends of Wuzhong (吴中四友): He Zhizhang
  He Zhizhang
  He Zhizhang , courtesy name Jizhen , was a Chinese poet born in present-day Xiaoshan, Zhejiang during the Tang Dynasty, and is one of the Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup. His well-known works include On Returning Home.-References:...
  
   (贺知章, 659－744), Bao Rong (包融), Zhang Xu
  Zhang Xu
  Zhang Xu may refer to:* Cho U , known as Zhang Xu in pinyin, Taiwanese Go player currently resides in Japan* Zhang Xu , Chinese calligrapher in Tang Dynasty...
  
  , (張旭, 658-747, also famous as a calligrapher), and Liu Shenxu --or Shenqu-- (刘昚虚).
• The "Fields and Gardens Poets Group" (田园诗派) include Meng Haoran
  Meng Haoran
  Meng Haoran was a Chinese poet during the Tang Dynasty. Unsuccessful in his official career, he mainly lived in and wrote about his birthplace....
  
   (孟浩然, 689 or 691－740), the famous poet and painter Wang Wei (王维, 701－761), Chu Guangxi, (儲光羲, 707－760), Chang Jian
  Chang Jian
  Chang Jian , and whose name, especially in older English transliteration, appears as "Ch'ang Chien", was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, and two of whose poems were collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Biography:...
  
   (常建), Zu Yong (祖咏), Pei Di
  Pei Di
  Pei Di was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, and a contemporary of Wang Wei, although younger by fifteen years. The poet's name is also rendered into English as "Pei Ti". the close personal friendship between Wang Wei and Pei Di is preserved in a letter by Wang Wei inviting him for a Springtime...
  
   (裴迪), Qiwu Qian (綦毋潜), Qiu Wei
  Qiu Wei
  -Poetry:Qiu Wei's poetic career coincided with the major flourishing of the Tang poetry styles, within which he was grouped in with the "Fields and Gardens Poets Group" , along with such poets as Meng Haoran, Wang Wei, Chang Jian, and Pei Di...
  
   (丘为), and others.
• The "Borders and Frontier Fortress Poets Group" (边塞诗派) includes Gao Shi
  Gao Shi
  Gao Shi , was a poet of the Tang Dynasty, and some of whose poems were collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.Born into an impoverished family in Hunan Province, Gao eventually became a secretary in the military, enjoying a successful career.Gao Shi was one of the competitors...
  
   (高适, 706-765), Cen Can
  Cen Can
  Cen Can was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. In older English works his name also appears as "Ts'en Ts'an" or "Tsen Ts'an". He was friends with the poets Du Fu and Gao Shi.-Poems:...
  
    (岑参, 715－770), Wang Changling
  Wang Changling
  Wang Changling was a major Tang Dynasty poet. His zi was Shaobo . He was originally from Taiyuan in the Shanxi province of China, according to the editors of the Three Hundred Tang Poems, although other sources claim that he was actually from Jiangning near modern-day Nanjing...
  
   (王昌龄, 698—756), Wang Zhihuan
  Wang Zhihuan
  Wang Zhihuan and whose name has been traditionally been transcribed "Wang Tsu-huan" was a Chinese poet of the Kaiyuan era. He is known for his famous poem entitled "On the Stork Tower" -Poetry:...
  
  , (王之渙, 688－742) Cui Hao (poet)
  Cui Hao (poet)
  Cui Hao was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty in China.Cui Hao was born in Biànzhōu and passed the imperial examinations in 723. He is known to have traveled extensively as an official, particularly between the years 723-744. He was known for three poetry topic - women, frontier outposts, and...
  
   (崔颢, about 704-754) and Li Qi
  Li Qi
  Li Qi , courtesy name Shiyun , posthumous name Duke You of Qiongdu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han. He seized the throne after his brother Li Yue assassinated their father Li Xiong's designated heir, their cousin Li Ban, in 334...
  
   (李颀, 690－751).
• This is also the period to which are assigned probably the most famous of the Tang poets: Li Bai
  Li Bai
  Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...
  
   (李白, 701－762) and Du Fu
  Du Fu
  Du Fu was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.Along with Li Bai , he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations...
  
   (杜甫, 712－770). Li Bai and Du Fu both lived to see the Tang Empire reel in the catastrophic events of the An Shi Rebellion
  An Shi Rebellion
  The An Lushan Rebellion took place in China during the Tang Dynasty from CE December 16, 755 to CE February 17, 763, beginning when general An Lushan declared himself emperor, establishing the rival Yan Dynasty in Northern China...
  
   (755-763). This had a tremendous impact on their poetry, and indeed signified the end of an era. Li Bai and Du Fu would never be forgotten, or cease to be in style. They would both be looked upon as major exemplars, especially Du Fu, by the Song Dynasty Poets, but the "golden age" was over.

Middle Tang

The poets of the Middle Tang (中唐) period also include many of the best known names, and they wrote some very famous poems. This was a time of rebuilding and recovery, but also high taxes, official corruption, and lesser greatness. Li Bo's bold seizing of the old forms and turning them to new and contemporary purposes and Du Fu's development of the formal style of poetry, though hard to equal, and perhaps impossible to surpass, nevertheless provided a firm edifice on which the Middle Tang poets could build.

• In the early phase of the Middle Tang period Du Fu's Yue fu
  Yue fu
  Yue fu are Chinese poems composed in a folk song style. The term literally means "Music Bureau", a reference to the government organisation originally charged with collecting or writing the lyrics....
  
   poetry was extended by poets such as Dai Shulun (戴叔伦, 732-789) who used the opportunity to admonish governmental officials as to their duties toward the suffering common folk.
• Others concentrated on developing the Landscape Style Poem (山水诗), such as Liu Changqing
  Liu Changqing
  Liu Changqing , and whose name, especially in older English transliteration, appears as "Liu Chang-ch'ing", was a poet of the Middle Tang Dynasty, and eleven of whose poems were collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-See also:...
  
   (刘长卿, 709-780) and Wei Yingwu
  Wei Yingwu
  Wei Yingwu , and also transliterated into English "Wei Yinwu" or "Wei Yin-wu", was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, with twelve of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Poetry:...
  
   (韦应物, 737-792).
• The Frontier Fortress Style had its continued advocates, representative of whom are Li Yi (李益) and Lu Lun
  Lu Lun
  Lu Lun was a Chinese poet of the Middle Tang Dynasty, with six of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems, as well as one by Sikong Shu, referencing him, and which was translated by Witter Bynner as "WHEN LU LUN MY COUSIN COMES FOR THE NIGHT"...
  
   (卢纶, 739-799).
• The traditional association between poetry and scholarship was shown by the existence of a group of ten poets (大历十才子), who tended to ignore the woes of the people, preferring to sing and chant their poems in praise of peace, beautiful landscapes and the commendability of seclusion. They are: Qian Qi
  Qian Qi
  Qian Qi , and also transliterated into English "Chien Chi", was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, with three of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems...
  
   (錢起, 710-782), Lu Lun is also a part of this group, Ji Zhongfu (吉中孚), Han Yi (韩翊), Sikong Shu
  Sikong Shu
  Sikong Shu , was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, with three of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems...
  
   (司空曙, 720-790), Miao Fa—or Miao Bo -- (苗發/苗发), Cui Tong (崔峒), Geng Hui (耿諱/耿讳), Xia Hou Shen (夏侯审), and the poet Li Duan
  Li Duan
  Li Duan is a Paralympian athlete from China competing mainly in category F11 long jump events.He competed in the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia. There he won a silver medal in the men's Triple jump - F11 event, a bronze medal in the men's Long jump - F11 event and finished seventh...
  
   (李端, 743-782).
• One of the greatest Tang poets was Bai Juyi (白居易, 772-846), considered the leader of the somewhat angry, bitter, speaking-truth-to-power New Yue Fu Movement (新樂府運動). Among the other poets considered to be part of this movement are Yuan Zhen
  Yuan Zhen
  Yuan Zhen , courtesy name Weizhi , was a politician of the middle Tang Dynasty, but is more known as an important Chinese writer and poet, particularly for work Yingying's Biography , which was often adapted for other treatments, including operatic and musical ones...
  
   (元稹, 779-831), Zhang Ji
  Zhang Ji (poet from Jiangnan)
  Zhang Ji , Chinese style name Wen Chang 文昌, c. 766-c. 830), and transliterated Chang Chi2 by Giles, was a Tang Dynasty poet and scholar.A native of 烏江 Niaojiang in Jiangnan, he was patronised by the great Han Yu, whom he even ventured to take to task for his fondness for dice. The latter in 815...
  
   (张籍, 767-830), and Wang Jian
  Wang Jian
  Wang Jian , courtesy name Guangtu , formally Emperor Gaozu of Shu , was the founding emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Former Shu...
  
   (王建).
• Several Tang poets stand out as being to individualistic to really be considered a group, yet sharing a common interest in experimental exploration of the relationship of poetry to words, and pushing the limits thereof; including: Han Yu
  Han Yu
  Han Yu , born in Nanyang, Henan, China, was a precursor of Neo-Confucianism as well as an essayist and poet, during the Tang dynasty. The Indiana Companion calls him "comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare or Goethe" for his influence on the Chinese literary tradition . He stood for strong...
  
   (韩愈, 768-824), Meng Jiao (孟郊, 751-814), Jia Dao
  Jia Dao
  Jia Dao , courtesy name Langxian , was a Chinese poet active during the Tang Dynasty. He was born near modern Beijing; after a period as a Buddhist monk, he went to Chang'an. He became one of Han Yu's disciples, but failed the jinshi exam several times. He wrote both discursive gushi and lyric...
  
   (賈島/贾岛, 779-843), and Lu Tong (盧仝/卢仝, 795-835).
• Two notable poets were Liu Yuxi
  Liu Yuxi
  Liu Yuxi was a Chinese poet, philosopher, and essayist, active during the Tang Dynasty. He was an associate of Bai Juyi and was known for his folk-style poems.- External links :* * *...
  
   (刘禹锡, 772-842) and Liu Zongyuan
  Liu Zongyuan
  Liu Zongyuan , courtesy name Zihou , was a Chinese writer who lived in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty. Liu was born in present-day Yongji, Shanxi, along with Han Yu, he was a founder of the Classical Prose Movement...
  
   (柳宗元, 773-819).
• Another notable poet, who has received a modern revival in attention is Li He
  Li He
  Li He , courtesy name Changji , was a short-lived Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty, known for his unconventional and imaginative style.-Biography:...
  
   (李贺, 790-816).

Late Tang

In Late Tang (晚唐), as at the full flourishing of Tang poetry, there was the pair Li Bo and Du Fu, known, by a combination of their names, as Li-Du (李杜), so in the twilight of the Late Tang there was a Little Li-Du (小李杜): Du Mu

Du Mu

Du Mu was a leading Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Muzhi , and sobriquet Fanchuan .He was born in Chang'an into an elite family whose fortunes were declining...

 (杜牧803-852) and Li Shangyin

Li Shangyin

Li Shangyin , courtesy name Yishan , was a Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty, born in Henei . Along with Li He, he was much admired and "rediscovered" in the 20th century by the young Chinese writers for the imagist quality of his poems...

 (李商隱/李商隐, 812 or 813-858). These two typified the two divergent poetic streams of the times.

• The Late Tang poetry of Du Mu's type tended toward a clear, robust style, often looking back upon the past with sadness, perhaps reflecting the times. The Tang Dynasty was falling apart, it was still in existence, but obviously in a state of decline.
• The poetry of Li Shangyin's type tended towards the sensuously abstract, dense, allusive, and difficult. Other poets of this style were Wen Tingyun
  Wen Tingyun
  Wen Tingyun born as Wen Qi , styled Feiqing was an important Chinese lyricist of the late Tang Dynasty. He helped establish the Ci in chinese poetry.He was born in Qin, Shanxi province, China.Yu Xuanji was among his followers....
  
   (温庭筠, 812-870) and Duan Cheng Shi (段成式, about 803-863). These poets have been attracting gaining interest in modern times.
• There were also other poets belonging to one or the other of two major schools of the Late Tang. in one school were Luo Yin
  Luo Yin
  Luo Yin , born Luo Heng, courtesy name Zhaojian , was a Chinese statesman and poet of the Tang Dynasty. Luo was born in Yuhang, Zhejiang. At the age of 20, he took his first imperial exam. He failed the exam ten times...
  
   (羅隱/罗隐, 833-909), Nie—or Zhe or She or Ye—Yizhong (聶夷中/聂夷中, 887-884), Du Xunhe
  Du Xunhe
  Du Xunhe was a Chinese poet of the Late Tang Dynasty, with one of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Poetry:...
  
   (杜荀鹤), Pi Rixiu
  Pi Rixiu
  Pi Rixiu was a Tang Dynasty poet. His courtesy names ware Yishao and Ximei , and he wrote under the pen name Lumengzhi . Pi was a contemporary of poet Lu Guimeng; these two poets are often referred to as Pi-Lu....
  
   (皮日休, approximately 834/840—883), Lu Guimeng
  Lu Guimeng
  Lu Guimeng , courtesy name Luwang , was recluse Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. He lived in seclusion at Puli near Suzhou. His pseudonyms included, Mr...
  
   (陸龜蒙/陆龟蒙 ?-881), and others. In the other group, were Wei Zhuang (韦庄, 836-910), Sikong Tu (司空图, 837-908), Zheng Gu (鄭谷, 849-911), Han Wo (韓偓,844-?), and others. During the final twilight of Tang, both schools were prone to a melancholic angst; they varied by whether they tended towards metaphor and allusiveness or a more clear and direct expression.
• Yu Xuanji
  Yu Xuanji
  Yu Xuanji , courtesy names Youwei and Huìlan , was a Late Tang Dynasty Chinese poet, from in Chang'an. Her family name, Yu, is relatively rare. Her given name, Xuanji, means something like "Profound Theory" or "Mysterious Principle," and is a technical term in Daoism and Buddhism...
  
   was a famous female poet of Late Tang.

Continuation of Tang Poetry in Southern Tang

After the official fall of the Tang Dynasty in 907, some members of its ruling house of Li managed to find refuge in the south of China, where their descendants founded the Southern Tang Dynasty

Southern Tang

Southern Tang was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China created following the Tang Dynasty from 937-975. Southern Tang replaced the Wu Kingdom when Li Bian deposed the emperor Yang Pu....

 in the year 937. This dynasty continued many of the traditions of the former great Tang Dynasty, including poetry, until its official fall in 975, and the captivity of its ruler. Importantly for the history of poetry, this ruler Li Yu

Li Houzhu

Li Houzhu , also known as Houzhu of Southern Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Congjia , courtesy name Chongguang , posthumously known as Prince of Wu , was the last ruler of the Southern Tang Kingdom from 961 to 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms...

 survived another three years as a prisoner of the Song Dynasty

Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...

, from which time some of his best known works date, written in the true Tang style. Thus, including this "afterglow of the T'ang Dynasty", the final date for the Tang Poetry era can be considered to be at the death of Li Yu

Li Houzhu

Li Houzhu , also known as Houzhu of Southern Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Congjia , courtesy name Chongguang , posthumously known as Prince of Wu , was the last ruler of the Southern Tang Kingdom from 961 to 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms...

, in 978.

Tang Poetry After the Fall of the Tang Dynasty

Surviving the turbulent decades of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, Tang poetry was perhaps the major influence on the poetry of the Song Dynasty, for example seeing such major poets as Su Shi

Su Shi

Su Shi , was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, and one of the major poets of the Song era. His courtesy name was Zizhan and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi , and he is often referred to as Su Dongpo...

 creating new works based upon matching lines of Du Fu's. This matching style is known from the Late Tang. Pi Rixiu and Lu Guimeng, sometimes known as Pi-Lu, were well known for it: one would write a poem with a certain style and rhyme scheme, then the other would reply with a different poem, but matching the style and with the same rhymes. This allows for subtleties which can only be grasped by matching the poems together.

Succeeding eras have seen the popularity of various Tang poets wax and wane. The Qing Dynasty saw the publication of the massive compilation of the collected Tang poems, the Quantangshi

Quantangshi

The Quantangshi , and also translated as the Complete Tang Poems, is a collection of Tang poetry...

, as well as the less-scholarly (for example, no textual variants are given), but more popular, Three Hundred Tang Poems

Three Hundred Tang Poems

The Three Hundred Tang Poems is an anthology of poems from the Chinese Tang Dynasty first compiled around 1763 by Sun Zhu , the Qing scholar also known as Hengtang Tuishi . Various later editions also exist...

. In China, some of the poets, such as Li Bo and Du Fu have never fallen into obscurity; others, such as Li Shangyin, have had modern revivals. Outside of China, and cultural neighborhood, recent centuries have seen major influence upon poetry around the world, including through translations or through some sort of general impression of Tang poetry.

English Translators of Tang Poetry

English Translators of Tang poetry include Herbert Giles

Herbert Giles

Herbert Allen Giles was a British diplomat and sinologist, educated at Charterhouse. He modified a Mandarin Chinese Romanization system earlier established by Thomas Wade, resulting in the widely known Wade-Giles Chinese transliteration system...

, L. Cranmer-Byng, Archie Barnes

Archie Barnes

Archie Barnes was a lecturer in Chinese at the University of Durham from 1961 to 1984 and author of Chinese through poetry.Barnes showed early abilities in learning languages and learnt Russian, Latin, French, German, Greek, and Chinese as a schoolboy...

, Amy Lowell

Amy Lowell

Amy Lawrence Lowell was an American poet of the imagist school from Brookline, Massachusetts who posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926.- Personal life:...

, Arthur Waley

Arthur Waley

Arthur David Waley CH, CBE was an English orientalist and sinologist.-Life:Waley was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, as Arthur David Schloss, son of the economist David Frederick Schloss...

, A. C. Graham

Angus Charles Graham

Angus Charles Graham , Professor of classical Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, was a noted sinologist....

, Shigeyoshi Obata, Burton Watson

Burton Watson

Burton Watson is an accomplished translator of Chinese and Japanese literature and poetry. He has received awards including the Gold Medal Award of the Translation Center at Columbia University in 1979, the PEN Translation Prize in 1981 for his translation with Hiroaki Sato of From the Country of...

, Gary Snyder

Gary Snyder

Gary Snyder is an American poet , as well as an essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist . Snyder is a winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry...

, David Hinton

David Hinton

-Life:He studied Chinese at Cornell University, and in Taiwan. He lives in East Calais, Vermont.-Awards:* 1997 Academy of American Poets Harold Morton Landon Translation Award* fellowship from the Witter Bynner Foundation...

, Wai-lim Yip

Wai-lim Yip

Wai-lim Yip, also known as Yeh Wei-lien and Ye Weilian , is a Chinese poet, translator, critic, editor, and professor of Chinese and comparative literature....

, and Red Pine (Bill Porter): all considered more-or-less fair translations. In the Nineteenth Century, Ernest Fenollosa

Ernest Fenollosa

Ernest Francisco Fenollosa was an American professor of philosophy and political economy at Tokyo Imperial University...

, wrote up some notes toward translating Chinese poetry, indirectly through the Japanese, including some Li Bo poems, which were later adapted by Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound

Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...

 and published in his book Cathay: the results, although of some influence on poetry, do not meet the minimum criteria of a translation

Translation

Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...

, in terms of fidelity to the original text (an interesting anecdote in this respect is that Robert Graves

Robert Graves

Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...

 says, "I once asked Arthur Waley how much Chinese Pound knew; Waley shook his head despondently.").

Characteristics of Tang Poetry

Tang poetry has certain characteristics. Contextually, the fact that the poems were generally intended to be recited in more-or-less contemporary spoken Chinese (now known as Classical Chinese

Classical Chinese

Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...

; or, sometimes, as Literary Chinese, in post-Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 cases) and that the poems were written in Chinese characters are certainly important. Also important are the use of certain typical poetic forms, various common themes, and the surrounding social and natural milieu.

Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism in Relationship to Tang Poetry

The Tang dynasty time was one of religious ferment, which was reflected in the poetry. Many of the poets were religiously devout. Also, at that time religion tended to have an intimate relation with poetry.

Gender Studies and Tang Poetry

There has been some interest in Tang poetry in the field of gender studies

Gender studies

Gender studies is a field of interdisciplinary study which analyses race, ethnicity, sexuality and location.Gender study has many different forms. One view exposed by the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir said: "One is not born a woman, one becomes one"...

. Although most of the poets were men, there were several significant women. Also, many of the men wrote from the viewpoint of a woman, or lovingly of other men. Historically and geographically localized in Tang Dynasty China, this is an area which has not escaped interest from the perspective of historical gender roles.

See also

• 7th century in poetry
  7th century in poetry
  -Europe:* Caedmon likely flourishes from approximately 657 to 680 in Northumbria* Laidcenn mac Buith Bannaig, Irish -Poets:* Abu 'Afak, from Hijaz, a Jewish poet writing in Arabic* Al-Rabi ibn Abu al-Huqayq fl...
  
  
• 8th century in poetry
  8th century in poetry
  -Events:*Chinese poetry in the Tang dynasty develops into what is now considered to be of the characteristic style known as Tang poetry, highlighted by the work of Li Bai and Du Fu.*Japanese poetry emerges, and the first imperial poetry anthologies are compiled...
  
  
• 9th century in poetry
  9th century in poetry
  Years link to corresponding "[year] in poetry" articles.-Births of Arabic world poets:* 742 – Ibrahim Al-Mausili * 805 – Abu Tammam * 820 – al-Buhturi * 861 – Abdullah ibn al-Mu'tazz...
  
  
• Chinese poetry
  Chinese poetry
  Chinese poetry is poetry written, spoken, or chanted in the Chinese language, which includes various versions of Chinese language, including Classical Chinese, Standard Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Yue Chinese, as well as many other historical and vernacular varieties of the Chinese language...
  
  
• Classical Chinese poetry
  Classical Chinese poetry
  thumb|right|300px|Attributed to [[Han Gan]], Huiyebai , about 750CE .Classical Chinese poetry is that type of poetry that is the traditional Chinese poetry written in Classical Chinese. It is typified by certain traditional forms, or modes, and certain traditional genres...
  
  
• Ci (poetry)
  Ci (poetry)
  Ci is a kind of lyric Classical Chinese poetry using a poetic meter based upon certain patterns of fixed-rhythm formal types. For speakers of English, the word "ci" is pronounced somewhat like "tsuh"...
  
  
• Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang
  Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang
  Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang is the a group name for four Chinese poets: Wang Bo, Yang Dong, Lu Zhaolin, and Luo Binwang. According to a Tang biography of Yang Dong, the four people enjoyed same popularity and fame in China...
  
  
• Fu (poetry)
  Fu (poetry)
  Fu is a kind of rhymed prose, or poetry style essay, popular in ancient China, especially during the Han Dynasty. The term fu is often used in a multiway contrast with the more purely poetic shi style, with the fixed-rhythm forms of poetry , and with various more explicitly prosaic forms of...
  
  
• Hanshan (poet)
• Jueju
  Jueju
  Jueju is a style of jintishi, or "Modern form poetry", that grew popular among Chinese poets in the Tang Dynasty , although traceable to earlier origins...
  
  
• List of Chinese language poets
• Quantangshi
  Quantangshi
  The Quantangshi , and also translated as the Complete Tang Poems, is a collection of Tang poetry...
  
  
• Shi (poetry)
  Shi (poetry)
  Shi is the Chinese word for "poetry" or "poem", anciently associated with Chinese poetry. In modern times, shi can and has been used as an umbrella term to mean poetry in any form or language, whether or not Chinese; but, it may imply or be used to refer certain classical forms of poetry, for...
  
  
• Song poetry
  Song poetry
  Song poetry refers to Classical Chinese poetry of or typical of the Song Dynasty of China . This dynasty is sometimes referred to as the "Sung Dynasty", especially in older sources). It was established by the Zhao family in China in 960 and lasted until 1279...
  
  
• Tang Dynasty poets (list)
• Three Hundred Tang Poems
  Three Hundred Tang Poems
  The Three Hundred Tang Poems is an anthology of poems from the Chinese Tang Dynasty first compiled around 1763 by Sun Zhu , the Qing scholar also known as Hengtang Tuishi . Various later editions also exist...
  
  
• Yue fu
  Yue fu
  Yue fu are Chinese poems composed in a folk song style. The term literally means "Music Bureau", a reference to the government organisation originally charged with collecting or writing the lyrics....
  
  

External links

• Three Hundred Tang Poems (online : Chinese + English)