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Han Yu (768–824 CE) was a towering literary figure, philosopher, and statesman of the Tang dynasty. His courtesy name was Tui Zhi, and though born in Heyang (modern Mengzhou, Henan), he traced his ancestral roots to Changli, for which he is commonly known as “Han of Changli”.
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The Controversy of the Huaixi Stele Following the successful suppression of the Huaixi rebellion, Emperor Xianzong sought to commemorate the victory with a monumental stele. He commissioned Han Yu, a trusted official and participant in the campaign, to write the inscription. Han Yu, serving under the chief commander Pei Du, naturally emphasized Pei’s strategic…
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The Martyrdom of Yan Zhenqing At the onset of Li Xilie’s rebellion, Prime Minister Lu Qi, harboring a deep personal grudge against the venerable Yan Zhenqing, maliciously recommended the seventy-year-old statesman as an envoy to persuade the rebel to surrender. Yan Zhenqing, a hero of the An-Shi Rebellion and a model of integrity whose…
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Liu Yuxi (772–842 CE) was a prominent literatus and poet of the Tang dynasty. His courtesy name was Mengde, and he was a native of Luoyang (in present-day Henan Province).
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Liu Zongyuan (773–819 CE) was a distinguished literary figure, philosopher, and political reformer of the Tang dynasty. His courtesy name was Zihou, and he was a native of Jiezhou, Hedong (modern-day Yuncheng, Shanxi), for which he was commonly known as “Liu of Hedong” (Liu Hedong).
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West from the small hill for one hundred and twenty steps, beyond the bamboo grove, I heard the sound of water, like the tinkling of jade pendants, which gladdened my heart. I cut through the bamboo to make a path, and descending, I saw a small pond, the water exceptionally clear and cold. The…
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— Liu Zongyuan Tired of officialdom for long, I’m glad to be banished southwest. At leisure I hear farmer’s song; Haply I look like hillside guest. At dawn I cut grass wet with dew; My boat comes o’er pebbles at night. To and fro there’s no man in view; I chant till southern sky…
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— Liu Zongyuan Over the islets disperse clouds of last night, The rising sun makes poolside village bright. A tall tree overlooks the water clear; Raindrops fall, startled by the wind severe. Unoccupied, my mind is just carefree; By chance the tree plays host to welcome me.