1. Without the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Li Bai would not have been produced.
The prosperous Tang Dynasty is the myth of the golden age of poetry, and it is understandable that later generations often equate this period with Li Bai and Du Fu. Once Li Bai and Du Fu are taken out of the times, the word "prosperous Tang Dynasty" appears empty and dim. However, talented people cannot control the pace of the times. It is with the passage of time that so-called geniuses appear constantly. Our goal is not to define that era by the main talents, but to understand and face up to the greatest poets by the actual standards of that era.
From the environmental and historical background, great artists are not isolated, but only outstanding representatives of an artist family. Just like the more beautiful flowers in a garden full of flowers, the "highest branch" of lush plants. Behind the art family, there is a wider crowd: "We only hear the voices of artists after centuries, but under the loud voices that reach our ears, we can also distinguish the complex and endless songs of the people chorus around the artists. With this harmony, artists can become great. " (Dana's philosophy of art)
Tang poetry flourished in Kaiyuan and Tianbao. Wang Wei and Meng Haoran, two pastoral poets, showed the tranquility and pastoral beauty of Ming Xiu. Frontier poets Gao Shi and Cen Can wrote frontier life with magnificent, lofty and generous brushstrokes. There are also a large number of famous artists such as Wang Changling, Li Qi, Cui Hao and Wang Zhihuan. Later generations have a lot of comments on Tang poetry in this period. In a word, it's the fragrance on the spine, exquisite image, no work to see, no trace to find, but profound meaning and endless charm. As the most important poet in this period, Li Bai, with his peerless talent, bold and elegant temperament, wrote flowing and unpredictable poems, with surging feelings and beautiful water lotus. His works contain the characteristics of that era in form and content, and surpass that era, reflecting the high-spirited mental state of that era. To some extent, the charm of Li Bai is the charm of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. His famous article "Looking at Lushan Waterfall" wrote: "Rizhao incense burner produces purple smoke, and the waterfall hangs in front of Sichuan. Flying down three thousands of feet, it is suspected that the Milky Way has fallen for nine days. " The poet described one of the most typical scenic spots in Lushan Mountain as vivid, unrestrained and ethereal, with a great deal of "inside and outside". "Purple Smoke" not only makes the incense burner peak beautiful, but also has a romantic color, which makes people feel immersive.
Second, the production of works depends on the customs of the spirit of the times.
Since the unification of China in the Tang Dynasty in 624 AD, with the continuous development of Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong, Wu Zetian and Xuanzong 100 years ago, the Tang Dynasty has become a dynasty with clear politics, developed economy, strong military and prosperous culture in the history of China. Strong national strength and enlightened policies provide a strong guarantee for the development of culture. The parallel development of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism opened a broad road for the Tang people. Therefore, scholars in the prosperous Tang Dynasty generally had a positive, optimistic and enterprising attitude towards life, which was a combination of self-confidence and arrogance. For example, Wang Wei's "Weicheng Qu": "Weicheng is light dust in Yucheng, and the guest house is green and willow-colored. I advise you to drink more wine. It makes no sense to go to Yangguan in the west. " This is different from the usual farewell poems, which show us a fresh and light scene, rather than the usual gloomy tone of farewell poems. Another example is Gao Shi's Don't Move Big: "Thousands of miles away in Huang Yun, the sun is shining high, and the north wind blows geese and snow one after another. Mochow has no confidant in the road ahead, and no one in the world knows you. " Like Wang Wei's "Cheng Wei Qu", this is a farewell poem for friends. It gives people a sense of farewell between friends, but it abandons the traditional sadness and has no heavy feeling. The positive, enterprising and optimistic attitude towards life of poets in the prosperous Tang Dynasty was more ideal for Li Bai and became a symbol of the spirit of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Li Bai bid farewell to Meng Haoran on his way to Yangzhou: "An old friend left the Yellow Crane Tower in the west, and fireworks went down to Yangzhou in March. The lonely sail is far from the blue sky, and only the Yangtze River flows in the sky. " The whole picture is integrated with the scene, giving people a vast feeling. The poet's farewell to his friends' long journey, his regret that he could not travel together, and his infinite yearning for Yangzhou's scenic spots are all in the farewell image of Linjiang. Another example is Li Bai's Guest Works: "lanling wine tulips, jade bowls filled with amber light. But it can make the owner drunk and don't know where he is. " This is an emotional poem about homesickness of travelers. It can be said that homesickness in different places is a common theme in poetry. However, this poem by Li Bai is deliberately renovated, linking "Lanling" with "fine wine" and giving "Jade Bowl" an amber light sense, thus sweeping away the sad and depressed feeling in a different place, but with a fascinating emotional color and a feeling of being at home. The whole poem is open-minded and cheerful, which fully embodies Li Bai's uninhibited personality and reflects the flavor of the times in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Compared with the unified feudal dynasties such as Han and Song Dynasties, the national cultural background of the Tang Dynasty produced a large number of talented people who lacked details and were bold and enterprising, and issued the loudest romantic chorus in the history of China's poetry. "The production of works depends on the spirit of the times and the customs around them." This is just like plants can take root, sprout, blossom and bear fruit only in a suitable climate and soil. The appearance of Li Bai is inextricably linked with all aspects of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Wang Guowei commented on "recalling Qin E" in Li Bai's "The Thorn on Earth" and said: "Taibai is pure in weather." This can also be used to evaluate his poems. Meteorology refers to the overall style and characteristics of works presented through momentum and images. The so-called "winning by weather alone" means winning by weather alone. This kind of weather can't be created by one person, but shines in the light of the weather in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Yan Yu said in "Answer to Wu Jingxian": "The poems of governors in the prosperous Tang Dynasty are both magnificent and full of weather." The words "vigorous brushwork and abundant weather" can sum up the poetic style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Wang Wan, a poet of Kaiyuan, wrote "The North Fort Mountain is moored": "Green hills sail around the boat, while green waters sail around the boat. Until the river bank widens at low tide, and no wind blows my lonely sail. ... night gives way to the ocean of the sun, and the old year melts in freshness. Finally, I can send my messenger, the wild goose, back to Luoyang. " The first sentence "winding under the green hills, my boat and I, along the green water" formed an atmosphere of development and progress from the beginning, and the poet looked at the scenery in front of him with appreciation. Zhuan Xu wrote about the vast water potential and high sails in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Wang Fuzhi said that "no wind stirs my lonely sail" means "spreading the god of big scenes with small scenes", which means spreading a broad and smooth scene from "hanging a sail". When the night with words on the neck has not disappeared, a red sun broke out at sea; Before the end of the old year, the breath of spring had already entered the river in advance. Although the year will be over and the night will be over, it is on the way, but it shows a bright prospect and a mood of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. This poem is in a vast realm, with harmonious atmosphere and elegant bearing.
In such a prosperous society as the Tang Dynasty, life itself is easy to arouse people's poetic feelings, and under the influence of the spirit of the times, poets in this period often look at life with poetic eyes, so they can find colorful beauty even in ordinary and ordinary life. For example, Li Bai's "Midnight Wu Ge": "A bright moon hangs high in the capital, and ten thousand hammers wash it. The autumn wind blew Yi Dao's voice, and every household remembered the people guarding the border. Oh, when will the Tatar army be conquered and when will my husband come back from the long battle! Midnight Wu Ge is an ancient Yuefu theme, a famous love song in the South during the Six Dynasties, which expresses the girl's yearning for her lover and sincere and lingering love. Li Bai used the old title not only to express his homesickness and sadness, but also to express his desire for victory and appeal for peace by thinking about his wife. "Oh, when will the Tatar army be conquered and when will my husband come back from the long battle!" . The whole poem begins with scenery and ends with emotion, weaving the autumn moon, autumn sound and autumn wind into a seamless realm. People don't see it, but human feelings exist. The language is natural and fresh, clear and elegant. With unprecedented strength, Tang poetry reflects the beauty of life in the heyday of China feudal society, and also shows the relatively healthy and high-spirited mental state of people in that era. Zhang's Moonlit Night on the Spring River shows people's life feelings and emotions in peacetime. Facing the boundless spring river and tide, facing the boundless moonlight and the vast universe, I am haunted by endless feelings and rippling with gentle calls for future life. People's thinking, pursuit, expectation and calling are aroused by the beautiful scenery of spring on the surface and urged by the melody of spring, which is actually brought about by the healthy development of the times.
From the above aspects, we can see that Li Bai's unrestrained and unrestrained personality charm was not isolated and unique at that time, but more typically his natural temperament was integrated into this era. But this is not to deny Li Bai's genius. He is a genius! As Dana said, "Strictly speaking, the spiritual climate does not produce artists; We have geniuses and masters first, just like the seeds of plants first. " Artists need an indispensable talent, which can not be compensated by great efforts and patience, otherwise they can only become copywriters and craftsmen. As Li Bai said, "Since God has given talents, let them be used!" It is the inspiration and imagination of a talented poet, a natural independent personality, and a talent to integrate this personality into poetry. When he threw himself into the sea of vigorous times like a stone, it caused great waves.