"Chang'an Guest" Author: Beimingyu Publishing House: Tianjin People's Publishing House

On a rainy day in Chang'an, Du Fu slept in moss and puddles; Li Bai dozed off in a pile of books in the Hanlin Academy, the golden palace seemed close at hand, yet far away; in a small hotel, Wang Wei was marking the age of his poems as a teenager, with the sound of popular lectures in Ci'en Temple outside the window, and he might have been more eager to take a look at the murals on the temple wall; 33-year-old Liu Zongyuan left Chang'an at the peak of his life and headed for a rough road; his friend Liu Yuxi, who left at the same time, returned alone after more than 20 years of wandering in the rivers and lakes, and only the peach tree in Xuandu Temple was still blooming for him; on September 9th when white chrysanthemums were in full bloom, Li Shangyin could only write a poem on the living room screen of his former friend Linghu Tao, who had turned against him, to miss the Double Ninth Festival; Bai Juyi woke up from his dream and slowly remembered that this was the eighth autumn after his close friend Yuan Zhen's death...

The greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty, "Poet Saint", "Poet Immortal", "Poet Buddha", "Poet Devil"... each has a well-known name, and their works have become immortal classics. For them, poetry was once used to show off their talents, exchange for fame, and spread their status and wealth in life. The poets came to Chang'an with dreams, wanting to be famous, become officials, buy houses, and even revive their country and become heroes of the times. At that time, they were all young, all had outstanding poetic talents, and a bright future seemed within reach. However, fate is the most rebellious and never easily satisfies people's wishes.

This book combines multiple elements such as history, biography, and poetry reviews. It can be said to be a poet's version of "When the Stars of Humanity Shine". It uses eight stories to connect the history of the Tang Dynasty from prosperity to decline and then to its demise. It sees the times and fate from the eyes of poets, and tells the dreams, difficulties and wanderings of young people in big cities. Those immortal poems come from their countless moments of joy and darkness. Through these stories, you may be able to get to know these poets again and see people like us. In their questioning of themselves and the times, we can see dignity, faith, love and compassion, and the meaning of life.

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