Are ancient poets really all officials?

"Faithfulness has been handed down from generation to generation for a long time, and poems and books remain forever" is an important reason why we feel that most officials in ancient times were poets and writers. With the changes of the times, other complexities are submerged in the dust of history, leaving only precious literary works to spread. Personally, it is not because poets are all officials, but because poets are talented, they become officials through selection, and then write poems and calligraphy because officials are corrupt.

There are also many poets who have never been an official but have made great achievements in poetry, such as Meng Haoran, whom we are all familiar with. Meng Haoran (689 ~ 740), a poet in the Tang Dynasty, whose real name was Hao, was Haoran. Xiangyang Xiangzhou (now Xiangfan, Hubei) Xiangyang is known as Meng Xiangyang in the world. Because I have never been an official, I am also called Monsanto. Nanyuan, a mountain stream outside the south gate of Xiangyang, has his former residence. Once lived in seclusion in Lumen Mountain. Traveling to Chang 'an at the age of 40 should be promoted by Jinshi. He once wrote a poem named Gong Qing in imperial academy, and he wrote for it. He has a close friendship with Wang Wei. Legend has it that Wang Wei once invited himself into the office, just as Xuanzong arrived, Haoran fled to the bed. Wang Wei didn't dare to hide it. According to the facts, Xuanzong was ordered to see it. Haoran recited his poem to the sentence "I was exiled by a wise ruler because of my mistakes", but Xuanzong was not happy. He said, "You don't want to be an official, and I haven't abandoned you. Why do you falsely accuse me!" Put it back in Xiangyang. After roaming in wuyue, I was extremely poor. In the 22nd year of Kaiyuan (734), Han Chaozong invited Meng Haoran to Chang 'an to show his respect. But he didn't want to be famous, so he stood me up and got nowhere. In the 25th year of Kaiyuan, Zhang Jiuling became the long history of Jingzhou, which led to the shogunate. Before long, he returned to his former residence. In the 28th year of Kaiyuan, Wang Changling visited Xiangyang and Meng Haoran. They met and enjoyed each other. Haoran's disease broke out on his back, and he would be cured, and he would die because he indulged in feasting and eating fresh food.

Meng Haoran was born in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. He was useful to the world in his early years, but he was politically frustrated and lived in seclusion for life. He is an honest and clean man, and he doesn't like to please others. His Geng Jie disobedient character and naive and noble sentiment are admired by contemporary and future generations. Li Bai praised him and said: "The beauty is unlucky, so don't focus on the car, but on the clouds; Now, "White-haired" said admiringly: "Gaoshan, how I long to reach you, just to pay tribute to Chun Xiang (A Word to Meng Haoran). Wang Shiyuan said in the preface to Meng Haoran that he was "handsome in appearance and handsome in spirit; Rescuing patients, resolving disputes, in order to establish righteousness; Irrigation of vegetables and bamboo is noble. " Wang Wei once painted his portrait in Yunzhou Pavilion with the title "Haoran Pavilion". Later generations respected him and refused to call him by his first name, so he changed his name to "Meng Ting" and became a local scenic spot. It can be seen that he is famous among ancient poets. Wang Wei, Li Bai and Wang Changling are all his good friends, and Du Fu, Pi Rixiu and others also have a good relationship with him.

Meng Haoran's life experience is relatively simple, and the theme of poetry creation is also very narrow. Meng's poems are mostly five-character short stories, mostly pastoral poems and secluded poems, and most of them are in the mood of serving immortals. Although it is not without cynicism, it is more of a poet's self-expression. He and Wang Wei also said that although Wang's poems are far less extensive and profound, they have unique artistic attainments.