李白

Biography

Li Bai (701–762) is widely regarded as the greatest romantic poet in Chinese history and one of the two towering figures of Tang Dynasty poetry alongside Du Fu. Born in Suyab (in modern Kyrgyzstan) along the Silk Road, he grew up in Sichuan province. He never succeeded in the imperial examinations but was briefly summoned to the court of Emperor Xuanzong around 742, only to be dismissed after two years — reportedly for his unconventional behavior and drinking. He spent most of his life traveling across China, writing poetry, and cultivating a legendary reputation for genius, eccentricity, and wine.

Poetic Style

Li Bai's poetry is characterized by bold imagination, effortless spontaneity, and a sense of cosmic grandeur. He frequently employs hyperbole ("three thousand feet," "the Milky Way falling from heaven") that somehow feels natural rather than forced. His verse moves between tender intimacy and sweeping vistas, between drunken abandon and profound loneliness. He drew heavily on Daoist philosophy and mythology, and his best work has an almost supernatural quality — as if the words arrived fully formed. Unlike the meticulous craft of Du Fu, Li Bai's genius appears to be pure inspiration.

Most Famous Lines

Legacy & Influence

Li Bai's influence on Chinese literature is immeasurable. He is the subject of countless legends — that he drowned trying to embrace the moon's reflection in a river, that he could compose masterpieces while drunk, that he was a "banished immortal" from heaven. His poems are memorized by every Chinese schoolchild. The expression "诗仙" (Poet-Immortal) has been his title for over a thousand years. His work has been translated into virtually every major language and continues to inspire poets worldwide. In China, he represents the ideal of artistic genius freed from worldly constraints.

Poems by Li Bai in Our Collection