Su Shi 苏轼 |
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![]() Su Shi ( 苏轼 1037–1101) was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, and one of the major poets of the Song era. His courtesy name was Zizhan (子瞻) and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi (东坡居士 “Resident of Dongpo”), and he is often referred to as Su Dongpo (苏东坡). Besides his renowned poetry, his other existent writings are of great value in the understanding of 11th century Chinese travel literature as well as details of the 11th century Chinese iron industry. Life ![]() ![]() Beginning in 1060 and throughout the following twenty years, Su held a variety of government positions throughout China; most notably in Hangzhou, where he was responsible for constructing a pedestrian causeway across the West Lake that still bears his name: sudi (苏堤). He had served as a magistrate in Mizhou, which is located in modern day Zhucheng County of Shandong province. Later, when he was governor of Xuzhou, he once wrote a memorial to the throne in 1078 complaining about the troubling economic conditions and potential for armed rebellion in Liguo Industrial Prefecture, where a large part of the Chinese iron industry was located. A contemporary Song Dynasty portrait painting of Su ShiSu Shi was often at odds with a ![]() Although political bickering and opposition usually split ministers of court into rivaling groups, ![]() Su Shi had several children, the eldest being Su Mai (苏迈), who would also become a government official by 1084. After Su Shi's wife had died, ![]() A depiction of Su Shi from 1743 Ten years living and dead have drawn apart I do nothing to remember But I can not forget Your lonely grave a thousand miles away ... Nowhere can I talk of my sorrow -- Even if we met, how would you know me My face full of dust My hair like snow? In the dark of night, a dream: suddenly, I am home You by the window Doing your hair I look at you and can not speak Your face is streaked by endless tears Year after year must they break my heart These moonlit nights? That low pine grave After a long period of political exile, Su received a pardon in 1100 and was posted to Chengdu. However, he died in Changzhou, Jiangsu province after his period of exile and while he was en route to his new assignment in the year 1101. Su Shi was 64 years old. After his death he gained even greater popularity, as people sought to collect his calligraphy, paintings depicting him, stone inscriptions marking his visit to numerous places, and built shrines in his honor. He was also depicted in artwork made posthumously, such as in Li Song's (1190-1225) painting of Su traveling in a boat, known as Su Dongpo at Red Cliff, after Su Song's poem ![]() Poetry Calligraphy by Su Shi: detail of 寒食帖Around 2,700 of Su Song's poems have survived, along with 800 written letters. Su Dongpo excelled in the shi, ci and fu forms of poetry, as well as prose, calligraphy and painting. Some of his notable poems include the First and Second Chibifu (赤壁赋 The Red Cliffs, written during his first exile), Nian Nu Jiao: Chibi Huai Gu (念奴娇 赤壁怀古 Remembering Chibi, to the tune of Nian Nu Jiao) and Shui diao ge tou (水调歌头Remembering Su Che on the Mid-Autumn Festival, 中秋节). The two former poems were inspired by the 3rd century naval battle of the Three Kingdoms era, the Battle of Chibi in the year 208. The bulk of his poems are in the shi style, but his poetic fame rests largely on his 350 ci style poems. Su Shi also founded the haofang school, which cultivated an attitude of heroic abandon. In both his written works and his visual art, he combined spontaneity, objectivity and vivid descriptions of natural phenomena. Su Shi wrote essays as well, many of which are on politics and governance, including his Liuhoulun (留侯论).
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