This poem did not subvert his image. He was just so arrogant and arrogant. Under the conflict between reality and ideals, he wrote this poem with mixed feelings: "Kill one person in ten steps, leave no trace in a thousand miles."
Behind this sentence is "When the matter is over, go away and hide your merit and fame." Isn't this still a portrayal of his true thoughts and feelings in his heart? If God blocks him, he will kill God; if he blocks Buddha, he will kill Buddha. Water cannot stop him from moving forward. What he wants to express is: how lonely it is to be invincible.
Li Bai was a great romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty. Li Bai was deeply influenced by Huang Lao Liezhuang's thoughts. There is "The Collection of Li Taibai" handed down to the world. Most of his poems were written when he was drunk. His representative works include "Looking at the Waterfall of Mount Lu". "The Road is Difficult", "The Road to Shu is Difficult", "About to Enter the Wine", "Ode to Mingtang", "Early Departure from Baidi City" and many other poems.
Li Bai is not a weak person. On the contrary, his swordsmanship is very superb. He has determined to become a swordsman since he was a child and travel the world with one sword, so is it strange that he wrote such a poem? Not surprising, while emphasizing his identity as a Poet Immortal, don’t forget that he is also a Sword Immortal.
We used to have a fixed mindset about him, thinking that his poems should be bold and unrestrained, or frustrated and resentful towards the court. He probably also went through a process of being full of expectations to being extremely angry and finally being completely disappointed with the court. He did not lose himself in the struggle of the court, but moved towards the utopia in his heart.
As we all know, in the later period, Tang Xuanzong could be said to beg him to go back and become an official. Fame was easily available, but how did he do it? Did he give in? No, he was full of disappointment in this society. People who cannot change the whole society are better to be themselves. This is the evolution of his mental journey and the sublimation of his emotions.