Du Mu
Encyclopedia
Du Mu (803–852) was a leading Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty
. His courtesy name was Muzhi (牧之), and sobriquet
Fanchuan (樊川).
He was born in Chang'an
(modern Xi'an) into an elite family whose fortunes were declining. He passed the jinshi ("Presented Scholar") level of the imperial civil service examination in 827 at the age of 25, and went on to hold many official positions in various locales through the years. However, he never achieved a high rank, perhaps due to enemies made in a factional dispute in 835. He was appointed to the office of Secretariat Drafter shortly before his death.
Du Mu was skilled in shi
, fu
and ancient Chinese prose
. He is best known as the writer of sensual, lyrical quatrain
s featuring historical sites or romantic situations, and often the themes of separation, decadence, or impermanence. His style blends classical imagery and diction with striking juxtapositions, colloquialisms, or other wordplay. He also wrote long narrative
poems, as well as a commentary on the Art of War
and many letters of advice to high officials.
Regarded as a major poet during a golden age of Chinese poetry, his name is often mentioned together with that of another renowned Late Tang poet, Li Shangyin
, as the Little Li-Du (小李杜), in contrast to the Great Li-Du: Li Bai
and Du Fu
.
Among his influences were Du Fu
, Li Bai
, Han Yu
and Liu Zongyuan
.
In 1968, Roger Waters of the rock band Pink Floyd borrowed lines from his poetry to create the lyrics for the song Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun from the band's second album A Saucerful of Secrets.
"Lotuses lean on each other in yearning" (多少綠荷相倚恨)
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
. His courtesy name was Muzhi (牧之), and sobriquet
Sobriquet
A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
Fanchuan (樊川).
He was born in Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
(modern Xi'an) into an elite family whose fortunes were declining. He passed the jinshi ("Presented Scholar") level of the imperial civil service examination in 827 at the age of 25, and went on to hold many official positions in various locales through the years. However, he never achieved a high rank, perhaps due to enemies made in a factional dispute in 835. He was appointed to the office of Secretariat Drafter shortly before his death.
Du Mu was skilled in shi
Shi (poetry)
Shi is the Chinese word for "poetry" or "poem", anciently associated with Chinese poetry. In modern times, shi can and has been used as an umbrella term to mean poetry in any form or language, whether or not Chinese; but, it may imply or be used to refer certain classical forms of poetry, for...
, fu
Fu
Fu may refer to:*Fu , a common pronunciation for some Chinese surnames, such as 傅, 符, 付, 扶 and 伏.*Fu , a Chinese genre of rhymed prose*Fu , ancient Chinese item*Fu , a symbol in Japanese syllabaries...
and ancient Chinese prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
. He is best known as the writer of sensual, lyrical quatrain
Quatrain
A quatrain is a stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four lines of verse. Existing in various forms, the quatrain appears in poems from the poetic traditions of various ancient civilizations including Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and China; and, continues into the 21st century, where it is...
s featuring historical sites or romantic situations, and often the themes of separation, decadence, or impermanence. His style blends classical imagery and diction with striking juxtapositions, colloquialisms, or other wordplay. He also wrote long narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
poems, as well as a commentary on the Art of War
The Art of War
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sun Tzu , a high ranking military general and strategist during the late Spring and Autumn period...
and many letters of advice to high officials.
Regarded as a major poet during a golden age of Chinese poetry, his name is often mentioned together with that of another renowned Late Tang poet, Li Shangyin
Li Shangyin
Li Shangyin , courtesy name Yishan , was a Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty, born in Henei . Along with Li He, he was much admired and "rediscovered" in the 20th century by the young Chinese writers for the imagist quality of his poems...
, as the Little Li-Du (小李杜), in contrast to the Great Li-Du: Li Bai
Li Bai
Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...
and Du Fu
Du Fu
Du Fu was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.Along with Li Bai , he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations...
.
Among his influences were Du Fu
Du Fu
Du Fu was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.Along with Li Bai , he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations...
, Li Bai
Li Bai
Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...
, Han Yu
Han Yu
Han Yu , born in Nanyang, Henan, China, was a precursor of Neo-Confucianism as well as an essayist and poet, during the Tang dynasty. The Indiana Companion calls him "comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare or Goethe" for his influence on the Chinese literary tradition . He stood for strong...
and Liu Zongyuan
Liu Zongyuan
Liu Zongyuan , courtesy name Zihou , was a Chinese writer who lived in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty. Liu was born in present-day Yongji, Shanxi, along with Han Yu, he was a founder of the Classical Prose Movement...
.
In 1968, Roger Waters of the rock band Pink Floyd borrowed lines from his poetry to create the lyrics for the song Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun from the band's second album A Saucerful of Secrets.
"Lotuses lean on each other in yearning" (多少綠荷相倚恨)
External links
- Brief introduction to Du Mu
- Brief introduction to Du Mu
- Ten poems of Du Mu included in 300 Selected Tang poems, translated by Witter BynnerWitter BynnerHarold Witter Bynner was an American poet, writer and scholar, known for his long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at what is now the Inn of the Turquoise Bear.-Early life:...
- Du Mu's poems (in Simplified Chinese)
- Du Mu's seven-character truncated verses