Bai Juyi (772-846), whose courtesy name was Letian, was also known as Xiangshan Jushi in his later years. His ancestral home is Taiyuan (now part of Shanxi), and later moved to Xia Denggui (now Weinan County, Shaanxi). In his early years, his family was poor and he had more exposure to and understanding of social life and people's sufferings. In the 16th year of Zhenyuan (800), Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty, he became a Jinshi and was awarded the title of Provincial Secretary. During the Yuanhe period of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, he served as Dr. Zuo Shiyi and Zuo Zanshan. In the 10th year of Yuanhe (815), Prime Minister Wu Yuanheng was killed by people sent by Pinglu Jiedushi Li Shidao. Bai Juyi expressed an urgent request to arrest the murderer, offended the powerful, and was demoted to Jiangzhou Sima, and later moved to Zhongzhou Governor. In the early years of Emperor Changqing of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Mu Zong was appointed as the governor of Hangzhou. He actively built water conservancy projects, built embankments to prevent floods, released and diverted lake water, and irrigated thousands of acres of farmland, with outstanding achievements. In the first year of Baoli reign (825) of Emperor Jingzong of the Tang Dynasty, he was appointed as the governor of Suzhou, and later became the minister of the Ministry of punishment. Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty died in the sixth year of Huichang (846) at the age of seventy-five. He is the author of seventy-one volumes of "Bai's Changqing Collection".
In literature, he and Yuan Zhen were both advocates and backbones of the New Yuefu Movement, advocating that "articles should be written according to the times, and songs and poems should be written according to the events", and opposed "mocking the wind and snow, making fun of things". Flowers and plants" and no other works of sustenance. His satirical poems "Qin Zhongyin" and "New Yuefu" extensively and sharply exposed the political darkness at that time, criticized the abuses in reality, and showed the progressive tendency of clear love and hate. In addition to the allegorical poems, the long narrative poems "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" and "Pipa Song" are also unique and will be immortal songs. The language of Bai's poems is popular, simple and easy to understand, without any trace of carving. His poems depict characters with vivid images and touching emotions, and have high artistic attainments.
In literature, he actively advocated the New Yuefu Movement, advocating that articles should be written according to the times and poems should be written according to the events. He wrote many poems that lamented the times and reflected the people's sufferings, which had a great influence on later generations. .
Bai Juyi, like Li Bai and Du Fu, was also addicted to alcohol.
Zhang Wenqian said in "Tiaoxi Yuyincong Hua": Although Tao Yuanming likes to drink, due to his poor family, he cannot drink fine wine often. Those who drink with him are all people who collect firewood, catch fish, and farm fields. For country people, the location is also in the woods and fields, and Bai Juyi's family brews fine wine. Every time he drinks, there will be silk and bamboo accompaniment, and child prostitutes will serve him. Those who drank with him were all celebrities in society, such as Pei Du, Liu Yuxi, etc.
When he was 67 years old, he wrote "The Biography of Mr. Zuiyin". This Mr. Zuiyin is himself. In his "Biography", he said that there was a man named Mr. Zuiyin. He did not know his name, place of origin, or official position. He only knew that he had been an official for 30 years and retired to Luo City. His residence has a pond, bamboo poles, trees, terraces, bridges, etc. He likes drinking, reciting poetry, playing the piano, and having fun with drunkards, poets, and piano lovers. This is also true. Bai Juyi visited all the temples, hills, and springs inside and outside Luoyang City.
Whenever it was a beautiful day, or a snowy morning or a moonlit night, he would invite guests to his home. He would first brush the wine jar, then open the poetry basket, and then hold silk and bamboo. So while drinking, he recited poems and played the piano. Next to me, there was a family boy playing "Neon Clothes and Feathered Clothes" and a little prostitute singing "Willow Branches". It was really a great pleasure. It didn't stop until everyone was drunk. Bai Juyi sometimes took pleasure in going out to play in the wild. He put a harp and a pillow in the car, and hung two wine bottles from bamboo poles on both sides of the car. He held the harp and drank wine, and then returned home exhausted.
According to "Qiongyou Ji", Bai Juyi's family had a pond where boating could be done. He entertained guests. Sometimes on the boat, he ordered people to hang more than a hundred empty bags beside the boat, filled with fine wine and delicacies, and they would go with the boat. When they wanted to eat and drink, they would pull them up. After eating and drinking, they would pull up one bag and then another. Until you finish eating and drinking.
This is certainly different from Tao Yuanming’s plight.
The volume of Fang Shao's "Bo Zhai Bian" says: Among the 2,800 poems written by Bai Letian, there are 800 poems by drinkers. This number is not small.
When he drank, he sometimes drank alone. For example, when he was the governor of Suzhou, he was busy with official duties and drank wine to relieve himself of nine days of hard work. He said: Don't underestimate one day of drunkenness, it is to eliminate nine days of fatigue. How can the people of the state be cured without nine days of fatigue? How can you entertain your body and mind without a day of drunkenness? He used wine to combine work and rest.
It’s more about drinking with friends.
In his poem "Drunk with Li Shiyi and Reminiscing about Yuanjiu", he said: When we are drunk together, we break the sorrow of spring, and when we are drunk, we break the flower branches and use them as wine chips. In the poem "Gift to Yuan Zhen", it is said: A pommel horse ride under the flowers, a cup of wine in the snow. In the poem "Having a leisurely drink with Meng Degu and making an appointment for the later period", it is said that the emperor gave ten thousand dollars to a bucket and looked at each other for seventy years and three years. In the poem "Reminiscing about Yuanjiu when Drunk with Li Shiyi", it is said: green ants make new fermented wine, and a small red clay stove. It's snowing tonight, can I have a drink? And so on and so forth.
Bai Juyi was 75 years old when he passed away. Buried in Longmen Mountain. Yin Luzhen of Henan carved "The Biography of Mr. Zuiyin" on the stone and stood beside the tomb. It is said that Luoyang people and tourists from all over the world knew that Bai Juyi was addicted to alcohol in his life, so when they came to visit the tomb, they all offered a glass of wine to pay homage. The land ten feet wide in front of the tomb was often wet. When it was not dry, it was obvious that he was loved by future generations. .