I lived from 772-846. I was from China, and am in the Asian category.
Po Chü-i (772-846 CE) was born at T’ai-yuan in Shansi and as an adult settled at Ch’ang-an near China’s north-west frontier.
He held the post of librarian in the royal palace and was also appointed to several regional governorships. He was a thorn in the side of the government and was several times banished but usually managed to get himself back into the good books with his humorous writing. In 1832 he retired from official life and went to live in Hsiang-shan Monastery although this was still close to the Eastern capital and he was still able to keep in touch with what was happening.
Po Chü-i ‘s poetry shows him to be easy-going and this is at odds with his frequently expressed caustic views on the government’s effects on the lives of ordinary people. He was adaept at using satire and humour to draw attention to the shortfalls of minor government officials as well as to social problems and questionable religious practices. In his lighter poems he mused about events in his own daily life, his own experiences, and aspects of his own personality.
He held the post of librarian in the royal palace and was also appointed to several regional governorships. He was a thorn in the side of the government and was several times banished but usually managed to get himself back into the good books with his humorous writing. In 1832 he retired from official life and went to live in Hsiang-shan Monastery although this was still close to the Eastern capital and he was still able to keep in touch with what was happening.
Po Chü-i ‘s poetry shows him to be easy-going and this is at odds with his frequently expressed caustic views on the government’s effects on the lives of ordinary people. He was adaept at using satire and humour to draw attention to the shortfalls of minor government officials as well as to social problems and questionable religious practices. In his lighter poems he mused about events in his own daily life, his own experiences, and aspects of his own personality.
Links of interest include http://www.humanistictexts.org/po_chu_i.htm#_Toc483883508
Popular poetry
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In a loud voice demanding grain-tribute.30 lines
