Luo Binwang
Encyclopedia
Luo Binwang courtesy name Guanguang (觀光/观光), was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty
. His family was from modern Wuzhou, Zhejiang
, but he was raised in Shandong
. Luo is grouped with Wang Bo
, Yang Jiong (楊炯/杨炯) and Lu Zhaolin (盧照鄰/卢照邻) as one of the Four Greats of the Early Tang as the most outstanding writers of their time.
, Luo worked in the central government in Chang'an
from 665. In 670, he was exiled to Xinjiang
, after which he travelled to Yunnan
with the army. He later served on staff of the prominent general Pei Xingjian (裴行儉) while Pei was serving as the commandant at Tao Prefecture (洮州, roughly modern Haidong Prefecture
, Qinghai
), and was in charge of the military correspondences, but he did not have a good relationship with Pei, who also disapproved of the other three greater writers grouped with Luo — Wang, Yang, and Lu, instead favoring the talents of Wang Bo's brother Wang Ju (王勮) and Su Weidao
. Eventually, Luo became a secretary at the county government of Chang'an County — one of the two counties making up the capital Chang'an
— a low position that was however considered fairly prestigious due to its location at the capital.
, but was released the following year. After Emperor Gaozong's death and the subsequent takeover of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Dowager Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) as regent
over initially their son Emperor Zhongzong
, whom she quickly deposed, and then Emperor Ruizong
, Luo made a number of suggestions to her, which she did not accept, and he was in turn demoted to the post of secretary general of Linhai
County in 684. He and a number of similarly demoted officials met at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
), and they, supporting Li Jingye
the Duke of Ying as their leader, rose against Empress Dowager Wu at Yang Prefecture, claiming as their goal Emperor Zhongzong's restoration. Luo was in charge of the resistance forces' correspondences, and he wrote a particularly sharp-worded declaration against Empress Dowager Wu:
It was said that when Empress Dowager Wu read the declaration, she smiled and laughed at what he wrote. However, when she reached the portion that read, "The soil on the new imperial tomb is not yet dry, and to whom can the two-meter-tall orphan be entrusted?" she turned solemn, and she commented, "It is the fault of the chancellors that we lost this man's service." After Li Jingye's defeat later that year, Luo was also killed, and Empress Dowager Wu, impressed with his writing, sent people to gather them and publish them.
narrative
, but he is best known for his poem "Ode to the Goose", said to have been written when he was seven years old. His "Ode to the Cicada" is also of great renown and influence.
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 family was from modern Wuzhou, Zhejiang
Yiwu
Yiwu is a city of about 1.2 million people in central Zhejiang Province near the central eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. The city is famous for its small commodity trade and vibrant free markets and is a regional tourist destination...
, but he was raised in Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
. Luo is grouped with Wang Bo
Wang Bo
Wang Bo , courtesy name Zi'an , was a Chinese poet in the Tang Dynasty.Wang Bo is one of the Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang, known as ChuTangSiJie . He opposed the spread of the Gong Ti Style of the Sui Dynasty, and advocated a style rich in emotions...
, Yang Jiong (楊炯/杨炯) and Lu Zhaolin (盧照鄰/卢照邻) as one of the Four Greats of the Early Tang as the most outstanding writers of their time.
Early career
It was said that Luo Binwang could recite poetry when he was six years old. In adulthood, after a period serving on the staff of Li Yuanqing (李元慶) Prince of Dao, an uncle of then-ruling Emperor GaozongEmperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
, Luo worked in the central government 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...
from 665. In 670, he was exiled to Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, after which he travelled to Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
with the army. He later served on staff of the prominent general Pei Xingjian (裴行儉) while Pei was serving as the commandant at Tao Prefecture (洮州, roughly modern Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture is a prefecture of Qinghai province in Western China. Its name literally means "east of the Lake."-Geography:...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
), and was in charge of the military correspondences, but he did not have a good relationship with Pei, who also disapproved of the other three greater writers grouped with Luo — Wang, Yang, and Lu, instead favoring the talents of Wang Bo's brother Wang Ju (王勮) and Su Weidao
Su Weidao
Su Weidao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
. Eventually, Luo became a secretary at the county government of Chang'an County — one of the two counties making up the capital 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...
— a low position that was however considered fairly prestigious due to its location at the capital.
Participation in Li Jingye's rebellion
In 678, Luo Binwang was dismissed and imprisoned for criticising Wu ZetianWu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
, but was released the following year. After Emperor Gaozong's death and the subsequent takeover of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Dowager Wu
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
(later known as Wu Zetian) as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
over initially their son Emperor Zhongzong
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
, whom she quickly deposed, and then Emperor Ruizong
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
, Luo made a number of suggestions to her, which she did not accept, and he was in turn demoted to the post of secretary general of Linhai
Linhai
Linhai is a city in Taizhou prefecture, Zhejiang Province situated on the banks of the Lin River in Eastern China. Its wall attracts many tourists...
County in 684. He and a number of similarly demoted officials met at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), and they, supporting Li Jingye
Li Jingye
Li Jingye , also known as Xu Jingye , was a grandson of the great Tang Dynasty general Li Shiji who, after Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wu had seized power after Emperor Gaozong's death, rose in rebellion against her, but who was quickly defeated and killed in flight.- Background :It is not...
the Duke of Ying as their leader, rose against Empress Dowager Wu at Yang Prefecture, claiming as their goal Emperor Zhongzong's restoration. Luo was in charge of the resistance forces' correspondences, and he wrote a particularly sharp-worded declaration against Empress Dowager Wu:
It was said that when Empress Dowager Wu read the declaration, she smiled and laughed at what he wrote. However, when she reached the portion that read, "The soil on the new imperial tomb is not yet dry, and to whom can the two-meter-tall orphan be entrusted?" she turned solemn, and she commented, "It is the fault of the chancellors that we lost this man's service." After Li Jingye's defeat later that year, Luo was also killed, and Empress Dowager Wu, impressed with his writing, sent people to gather them and publish them.
Style
In prose, he was a master of the ornate bianwen style. His poetry (mostly gushi) is often similarly complex. Among his works is a long, autobiographical versePoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
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"...
, but he is best known for his poem "Ode to the Goose", said to have been written when he was seven years old. His "Ode to the Cicada" is also of great renown and influence.
External links
- Ode to the Goose in Chinese and English
- A Political Prisoner Listening to a Cicada, in Chinese with 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:...
's translation.