Du Mu (803 AD - about 852 AD), courtesy name Muzhi, also known as Fanchuan Jushi, was of Han nationality and was born in Jingzhao Wannian (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province).
Du Mu was an outstanding poet and essayist in the Tang Dynasty. He was the grandson of Prime Minister Du You and the son of Du Congyu. In the second year of Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty, he was awarded Jinshi at the age of 26 and was awarded the title of School Secretary of Hongwen Hall. Later, he went to Jiangxi to observe the envoys, transferred to Huainan Jiedu, and then joined the observation envoys. He was in charge of the compilation of the National History Museum, served as a member of the Ministry of Food, Bibu, Si Xunyuanwailang, and the governor of Huangzhou, Chizhou, and Muzhou.
Du Mu lived in the late Tang Dynasty when internal and external troubles were deepening. He had been concerned about state affairs since his youth and had the ideal to save the country from danger and restore the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. When he was 23 years old, he wrote "A Fang Palace Ode", which took the Qin Dynasty's abuse of people's power and extravagance and subjugated the country as a warning, and sounded the alarm to the rulers of this dynasty.
Poetry creation is the most outstanding aspect of Du Mu. He is as famous as Li Shangyin, another outstanding poet in the late Tang Dynasty, and is also known as "Little Li Du". His ancient poetry was influenced by Du Fu and Han Yu, with broad themes and vigorous writing. Long pieces such as "Drinking Alone in a Junzhai" focus on expressing the poet's ambition to save things and save the world, "with five colored threads in his life, willing to mend Shun's clothes", expressing his heartfelt feelings and dripping with gratitude.
"Feelings" reflects the turbulent history of domineering vassal towns and frequent border troubles in the decades after the Anshi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty. It has a magnificent picture and high-spirited spirit. It can be read together with "Sin Yan" (Weng Fanggang's "Shizhou Poetry" ).
Extended information
Du Mu is the thirteenth in the family, so according to the custom of the Tang people, he is called "Du Shisan". Du Mu had outstanding political talent. When Du Mu was a teenager, it was the time when Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty was attacking the vassal towns and invigorating the state affairs. In his spare time, he cared about military affairs. Later, Du Mu studied Sun Tzu specifically and wrote thirteen commentaries on "Sun Tzu" as well as many policy speeches.
In the second year of Changqing (822), when Du Mu was 20 years old, he was well versed in classics and history, especially focusing on fighting chaos and military affairs. Du Mu composed "A Fang Palace Fu" at the age of 23. At the age of 25, Du Mu wrote a long five-character poem "Poetry of Feelings" to express his views on the issue of the feudal town. At this time, Du Mu was already very famous and his works were widely circulated.
In the second year of Yamato (828), Du Mu was 26 years old and passed the Jinshi rank. In the same year, he passed the examination of Xianliangfangzhengyanjijianke, and was awarded the title of Secretary of the Hongwen Hall, and the imperial guard Cao of Zuowu joined the army.
In the seventh year of Yamato (833), Du Mu was awarded the position of pushing official by Niu Sengru, the governor of Huainan, and later became the secretary in charge, responsible for the official correspondence of the governor's office. The title of Jing is Supervisory Censor Li Xing. At this time, Du Mu lived in Yangzhou and especially liked banquets and travels.
In the ninth year of Yamato, Du Mu was recruited by the imperial court as a supervisory censor and went to Chang'an to take up a post in the Eastern Capital. He took office in Luoyang, the eastern capital, in August. Therefore, we escaped the dangerous storm of the Manna Change in November. Here he met Zhang Haohao, an old friend from Xuanzhou City, and wrote the famous "Poems of Zhang Haohao". During his stay in Luoyang, due to his idle duties, he paid homage to historical sites and wrote many poems.