author
Juyi Bai
772–846
One of the great poets of the Tang dynasty, he wrote with unusual clarity about ordinary life, public duty, friendship, and aging. His poems were admired far beyond China and helped shape literary traditions in Japan as well.
1 Audiobook
長恨歌
by Juyi Bai
About the author
Born in 772, Bai Juyi—also known as Bo Juyi—became one of the most widely read poets of the Tang dynasty. He was also a government official, and many of his poems draw on what he saw in public life as well as the everyday joys and hardships of ordinary people.
He is especially known for writing in a direct, accessible style. Among his best-known works are long narrative poems such as Song of Everlasting Sorrow and The Song of the Pipa. His writing ranges from court history and social criticism to friendship, nature, illness, and old age, which helps explain why it has remained so popular for centuries.
Bai Juyi died in 846. His influence extended beyond China, especially into Japan, where his poetry was read and appreciated for generations.