杜甫
Du Fu
字子美
Tang Dynasty (唐代) · 712–770
Biography
Du Fu (712–770) is revered as the greatest realist poet in Chinese history and stands alongside Li Bai as the supreme figure of Chinese poetry. Born into a scholarly family in Henan, he spent years pursuing an official career but repeatedly failed the examinations. His life was upended by the devastating An Lushan Rebellion (755–763), which killed millions and shattered the Tang Dynasty's golden age. Du Fu experienced the war firsthand — capture, flight, poverty, and the loss of a child to starvation. He spent his final years wandering southwestern China in poor health, dying on a boat on the Xiang River at age 58.
Poetic Style
Du Fu's poetry is defined by its technical perfection, moral seriousness, and unflinching compassion. He is the acknowledged master of regulated verse (律诗), achieving effects of density and precision unmatched in Chinese literature. His work ranges from intimate domestic scenes to sweeping panoramas of war and displacement. Unlike Li Bai's inspired spontaneity, Du Fu's genius lies in painstaking craft — he reportedly said "I won't rest until my words can startle people" (语不惊人死不休). His late poetry achieves a compression and emotional depth that later critics considered the pinnacle of the art.
Most Famous Lines
国破山河在，城春草木深
guó pò shān hé zài, chéng chūn cǎo mù shēn
The nation is broken, though mountains and rivers remain; the city in spring is overgrown with grass
— Spring View (春望)
烽火连三月，家书抵万金
fēng huǒ lián sān yuè, jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn
Beacon fires have burned for three months; a letter from home is worth ten thousand in gold
— Spring View (春望)
无边落木萧萧下，不尽长江滚滚来
wú biān luò mù xiāo xiāo xià, bú jìn cháng jiāng gǔn gǔn lái
Boundless falling leaves rustle down; the endless Yangtze rolls and rolls onward
— Climbing High (登高)
Legacy & Influence
Du Fu was not widely celebrated during his lifetime, but by the Song Dynasty he was recognized as the supreme poet of China. His title "诗圣" (Poet-Sage) reflects both his moral stature and technical mastery. His "Three Officials" and "Three Farewells" poems are considered the finest war poetry in Chinese. His Thatched Cottage in Chengdu is now a major museum and cultural site. Du Fu's influence extends far beyond China — in Japan, he is considered the greatest poet who ever lived, and his work has shaped East Asian literary tradition for over a millennium.