author
Xingde Nalan
1655–1685
A gifted Qing dynasty poet remembered for his haunting lyric voice, he turned private feeling into some of the era’s most beloved ci poems. His work is especially admired for its grace, sadness, and unusual emotional directness.
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About the author
Born in 1655, Nalan Xingde—also known as Nara Singde—was a Manchu poet of the early Qing dynasty. He came from an elite family, earned the jinshi degree at a young age, and served as a junior officer in the imperial bodyguard, which brought him close to the Kangxi Emperor and took him on official journeys.
Even with that courtly background, he is best known for poetry that feels intimate rather than formal. He became famous for ci lyrics, and later readers have often seen him as one of the Qing dynasty’s standout masters of the form. His poems often dwell on love, memory, separation, and loss, giving them a tenderness that still feels immediate.
Nalan Xingde died in 1685, only about thirty years old. His short life has added to the poignancy of his reputation, but it is the emotional clarity of his writing that keeps his work alive for readers today.