Li Bai

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Li Bai (李白; 701 – 762) was a highly acclaimed, professional poet of the Tang dynasty, renowned for his brilliant innovations and romanticist style. So prolific was his poetry writing at the peak of the Tang that thousands of his works have survived to this day, and he is now regarded as one of the greatest poets in Chinese history. Contemporaries lauded him as the "Banished Immortal" (「謫仙人」), and the "Three Wonders of the Tang" refer to Li Bai's poetry, Pei Min's swordsmanship, and Zhang Xu's calligraphy.

Biography

Li Bai was born in 701 in the city of Suyab in what was then the far western edge of the Tang. In that borderland, he grew up hearing stories of mysterious, wandering vigilantes, which may have inspired his youth dream of earning fame as a xiake, a gallant hero who travels the land with a sword in hand helping those who suffer from injustice.

Career at court

At the same time, he was also determined to become a government official, believing that this would fulfill his great aspirations. This opportunity came in 742 when he was invited to the imperial court in Chang'an by Emperor Xuanzong and then honoured with a position at Hanlin Academy, an elite educational institution. His employment as an imperial scholar chiefly entailed the composition of literary works for the enjoyment of the royal household and attending to social events. During this time, he produced many of his famous poems, such as "Tune of Pure Peace" (清平調) and "Lyrics for Wandering in the Palace" (宫中行樂詞) which have passed down to the present day.

Despite the glamour of court life, Li Bai gradually grew disillusioned with it over time and alongside it, his career. Such a development is alluded to in both the official and unofficial histories, but most of all, his own personal accounts express this sentiment. His leisurely attitude and alcoholism earned him the ire of many colleagues, particularly since his job was already considered to be a sinecure. The poet recounted in later works that he endured defamation by them, with a notable example being at the hands of one Zhang Ji (張垍).

By far the most infamous case involved the chief eunuch Gao Lishi and Yang Yuhuan, who as guifei was the highest-ranking consort to the Emperor. Once Li Bai arrived at court drunk, leading Lishi to be asked to assist Li Bai in removing his boots for him. Humiliated by this episode, Lishi decided to instigate Yang Guifei against Li Bai by misleading her about the meaning of the poem "Tune of Pure Peace", which extolled her beauty by comparing it to that of Han dynasty empress Zhao Feiyan. Where Li Bai had suggested that even Feiyan's natural beauty was inferior to that of Yang Guifei, Gao Lishi convinced her that it had been a subtle slight to have made the comparison at all.

Thereupon, Li Bai lost Yang Guifei's favour, and when Emperor Xuanzong wished to promote him to a government office, she intervened to dissuade him. Three times the consort obstructed Li Bai's promotion until the Emperor at last relented and dismissed Li Bai from the imperial court altogether, sending him away with a hefty sum of money as final payment for his services.

Wanderer above the sea of fog

Leaving Chang'an behind, Li Bai spent the next decade roaming jianghu, integrating himself into a subculture of literati apart from the political world. He fostered deep friendships far and wide, among them with the Japanese scholar Abe no Nakamaro, who he knew by his adopted Chinese name Chao Heng.

In 753, the 52-years-old Li Bai returned to Wei Commandery (魏郡) in the spring. He then spun around and passed through Luoyang to re-visit Liangsong (梁宋). Thence from Liangyuan (梁園), he continued south until he was in Xuancheng (宣城) in the autumn and Jinling (金陵) in the winter.

The following year, he toured Guangling Commandery (廣陵郡), following which he proceeded to Jinling with his friend Wei Fong (魏方) and then caught a boat ride along the Qinhuai River. It was while back in Jinling that Li Bai entrusted to Wei Fong the manuscripts of prose and poetry that would one day comprise Li's Hanlin Anthology (李翰林集). Once they parted ways, Li Bai went back to Xuancheng as well as other places in the area like Qiupu (秋浦) and Nanling (南陵). At some point previously, he had also hiked the Yellow Mountains.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Dynasty