Li Yi (poet)

Not to be confused with Li Ye (poet).
In this Chinese name, the family name is Li.

Li Yi (Chinese: 李益; pinyin: Lǐ Yì; Wade–Giles: Li I, about 746/748–827/829) was a poet of the Tang dynasty.

Three of Li Yi's poems were collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems. However, one of his most famous poems and one which was included in most other Classical Chinese poetry anthologies was not included in the Tang 300,[1] namely the one translated by Herbert Giles as "A cast-off favourite", written in the persona of a palace lady.

Biography

Li Yi was born in either 746 or 748.[a]

In 769 he passed the imperial examination, receiving his Jinshi degree.[2]

He died in either 827 or 829.[b]

Notes

  1. ^ Sources differ on the year he was born. Ueki et al. (1999, p. 117), Jinling Library and Shenzhen Special Zone Daily (2008) give 748, while Gansu China Network (2010) gives 746.
  2. ^ Sources differ on the year of his death. Ueki et al. (1999, p. 117) give "829?", Jinling Library and Gansu China Network (2010) give 829, while Shenzhen Special Zone Daily (2008) gives 827.

References

  1. ^ Wu, John C. H. (1972). The Four Seasons of Tang Poetry. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E.Tuttle. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-8048-0197-3.
  2. ^ Maruyama 1994.

Works cited