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Summary
Du Fu is one of the representative poets of the Tang dynasty and is known as the Poet Sage. His works expose the darkness of society, indict the crimes of the powerful, and carry the outcry of the oppressed classes, and for this reason he is often regarded as the spokesman of the suffering. In the 1940s there was a surge of popular interest in Du Fu studies, and the historian Jian Bozan was a particularly important participant at that time. Using the materialist conception of history and the viewpoint of class analysis, he set forth Du Fu's era, life experience, character, and works, producing a compact short biography of Du Fu that remains an effective way for readers to understand Du Fu today.
Editor's review
Written by the historian Jian Bozan, this short biography of Du Fu is distinctive in that it does not place the poet on a pedestal but seeks to understand him within the social structure and class relations of the Tang dynasty. Drawing on historical materialism, the author traces Du Fu's historical context, family background, the formation of his character, and the threads of his work, restoring the "sage of poetry" to a intellectual struggling amid turmoil and speaking for those at the bottom of society. The book is compact and avoids cumbersome textual scholarship, yet it sets out clearly and forcefully the side of Du Fu's work that exposes social darkness and condemns the crimes of the powerful, and explains why Du Fu is often seen as a spokesman for the suffering. The surge of Du Fu studies in the 1940s forms the context in which this book was written, allowing readers to see a reading approach with a sharp sense of its own questions. It serves well as an introductory companion to understanding Du Fu and his poetry, and also suits readers interested in historiographical method and modern intellectual history. While reading, one might do well to read it alongside Du Fu's original poems, experiencing how historical analysis and poetic feeling illuminate each other.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers seeking an initial understanding of Du Fu's life and creative context
- Readers interested in the analysis of classical literature through historical materialism
- Students needing historical background to supplement their reading of Du Fu's poetry
- Readers concerned with modern Chinese intellectual history and the history of Du Fu studies
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting detailed chronological scholarship or annotations of individual poems
- Readers who want only light, story-driven biography and dislike theoretical analysis
- Readers averse to a class-analysis perspective
Reading tips
- Read several of Du Fu's representative poems first, then use this book to understand his era and life.
- Note how the author uses a class perspective to explain Du Fu's social concern; annotate as you read.
- Treat the book as an interpretive framework rather than a final verdict, and read it alongside other Du Fu biographies.
- After finishing, revisit the poems quoted in the book to test whether the historical analysis deepens your understanding.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 一 前言
- 二 杜甫的时代
- 三 杜甫的身世
- 四 杜甫的性格
- 五 杜甫的作品
- 六 余论
FAQ
Is this a complete biography of Du Fu?
Not a strictly detailed biography, but a compact short life of Du Fu. Its focus is on a holistic grasp of Du Fu's era, life, character, and work, linking the threads through historical materialism and class analysis rather than verifying his life year by year and event by event. It is suitable as an introductory framework for understanding Du Fu; for a detailed chronology, one should consult specialized scholarly works.
Can I understand it without familiarity with historical materialism?
Yes. The book's argument is not abstruse; its core approach is to understand Du Fu within the social contradictions of the Tang dynasty. Even readers unfamiliar with the relevant theoretical terminology can follow the author's analysis of the historical background and the works. Some prior knowledge of basic concepts will make the reading smoother, but it is not a barrier.
Do I need to read Du Fu's poems before this book?
Not strictly, but reading several of Du Fu's representative poems first is recommended. The book analyzes Du Fu's work, and some familiarity with the original poems makes it easier to appreciate why the author emphasizes the side of his work that exposes social darkness and speaks for the oppressed. Readers who have not read any can also start with this book to build a framework, then return to the poems.
Is the writing context of this book worth noting?
Yes. The book stems from the surge of Du Fu studies in the 1940s, and the author was an important participant at the time. Understanding this context helps readers grasp the book's sharp class-analysis perspective and its real-world concern, and allows them to read it as a document of intellectual history rather than merely a biography of a poet.
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About the author
Jian Bozan
Author · China · 1898–1968
Jian Bozan (1898–1968), a Uyghur from Taoyuan, Hunan, was a prominent Chinese historian and educator and one of the main founders of Marxist historiography in China. He devoted himself to the study of Chinese history, combining historical sources with theoretical analysis and developing a concise, systematic approach in his narratives spanning from early China to the Ming and Qing. His representative works include The History of Qin and Han, Outline of Chinese History, Collected Essays on Chinese History, and A Course in the Philosophy of History, and he edited the Outline of Chinese History. He also wrote monographs on the history of historiography, such as On Liu Zhiji's Historical Scholarship and Sima Qian and His Historical Scholarship, showing sustained attention to ancient historians and historiographical traditions. He served as vice president of Peking University and dean of its history department, contributing greatly to historical teaching and the training of scholars.
