王昌龄
Wang Changling
字少伯
Tang Dynasty (唐代) · 698–756
Biography
Wang Changling (698–756) was a High Tang poet considered the supreme master of the seven-character quatrain form. He passed the imperial examination and served in various posts but suffered political setbacks, being demoted twice to remote southern regions. Despite his literary fame, he led a difficult official life. He was killed during the chaos of the An Lushan Rebellion by a jealous local official — a tragically ironic end for a poet who wrote so movingly about the waste of war.
Poetic Style
Wang Changling's specialty was the seven-character quatrain (七言绝句), in which he achieved a perfection that earned him the title "Saint of Seven-character Quatrains" (七绝圣手). His frontier poems combine martial spirit with deep compassion for common soldiers, avoiding both jingoistic glory and defeatist despair. His palace poems and farewell poems demonstrate equal mastery. Each quatrain is precisely constructed, with a dramatic turn in the final lines that delivers maximum emotional impact in minimum space.
Most Famous Lines
秦时明月汉时关，万里长征人未还
qín shí míng yuè hàn shí guān, wàn lǐ cháng zhēng rén wèi huán
The same moon that shone in Qin, the same passes from the Han — soldiers marched ten thousand miles and have not returned
— Out on the Frontier (出塞)
但使龙城飞将在，不教胡马度阴山
dàn shǐ lóng chéng fēi jiàng zài, bù jiào hú mǎ dù yīn shān
If only the Flying General were here, he would never let the enemy horses cross Yin Mountain
— Out on the Frontier (出塞)
Legacy & Influence
Wang Changling's "Out on the Frontier" (出塞) is consistently ranked among the greatest Tang quatrains ever written. Its opening line — "The same moon that shone in Qin, the same passes from the Han" — is one of the most recognized lines in Chinese poetry. His mastery of the quatrain form influenced every subsequent poet who worked in the genre. His frontier poetry established a template for how Chinese literature addresses the human cost of war — with dignity, compassion, and a keen sense of historical perspective.