“Remembrance of Jiangnan (No. 1)” is one of Bai Juyi’s best-known short lyric poems (词) in the Chinese tradition. Written in the Ci form, it celebrates the region south ⋯ Read the full article

While an exact historical text for “Evening Slumber” (暮寝) by Bai Juyi is not firmly documented, the poem above is rendered in a style reminiscent of his gentle, introsp⋯ Read the full article

While Bai Juyi is widely recognized for poems such as “Song of the Pipa” or “Selling Charcoal,” his repertoire also includes more intimate, shorter works reflecting on se⋯ Read the full article

In this short yet poignant poem, Bai Juyi offers a window into the secluded and often sorrowful lives of women in the imperial harem. The speaker, presumably a palace lad⋯ Read the full article

Although the exact historical text of “宿紫阁山北村” (Staying Overnight at the Northern Village of Mount Zige) is sparse in modern records, this reconstructed poem in Bai⋯ Read the full article

In this well-known quatrain, Bai Juyi extends a simple but heartfelt invitation to a friend. The imagery is unassuming yet evocative: fresh, frothy wine (绿蚁新醅酒) and ⋯ Read the full article

In “The Charcoal Seller,” Bai Juyi highlights the stark realities that beset those on society’s margins. The poem’s protagonist has only a meager livelihood, chopping woo⋯ Read the full article

In this poem attributed to Bai Juyi, we see farmers in a rural setting gathering the medicinal plant known as 地黄 (rehmannia). Written in the poet’s characteristic style⋯ Read the full article

Bai Juyi’s poem “Watching the Wheat Harvest” spotlights the intense labor of farm families during the wheat season in late spring or early summer. In brisk, vivid lines, ⋯ Read the full article

In “Peach Blossoms at Dalin Temple,” Bai Juyi contrasts the usual timing of spring’s departure in the lower world with the late arrival of peach blossoms at a secluded mo⋯ Read the full article

Bai Juyi’s short poem “Flower, Yet Not a Flower” offers a succinct meditation on the elusive nature of beauty and existence. Through simple yet paradoxical imagery—someth⋯ Read the full article

In this poem, Bai Juyi presents a fleeting scene at dusk along the riverbank, highlighting nature’s palette during early autumn. He contrasts the cool green and warm red ⋯ Read the full article

In this poem, Bai Juyi employs the imagery of resilient grass growing on an ancient plain to symbolize parting and renewal. The grass, which continually withers and reviv⋯ Read the full article

In this poem, Bai Juyi offers a gentle yet vivid portrayal of early spring by Qiantang Lake—now known widely as West Lake in Hangzhou. With each line, he uses natural det⋯ Read the full article

“Song of Everlasting Regret” by Bai Juyi is one of the most celebrated narrative poems of the Tang Dynasty. It recounts the tragic romance between Emperor Xuanzong of Tan⋯ Read the full article