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Li He

Type Figure Region China Time 790–816 Also known as Li Changji、Poetry Ghost

Li He (790–816), styled Changji, famous Tang romantic poet ranked with Li Bai and Li Shangyin as the 'Three Lis', known as the 'Poetry Ghost'.

Timeline

  1. 805–810Changgu (Fuchang) · HenanLi He came from a distant branch of the imperial family, was clever from childhood, and could compose at seven. Because his father's name Jinsu shared a homophone with the word for 'advance', taboo rules barred him from the jinshi examination, so he turned to staff-officer careers. Studying hard at Changgu, he rode a donkey daily seeking lines; his strange, gorgeous style earned him the growing reputation of 'Poetry Ghost'.
  2. 811–816Chang'an · ShaanxiLi He once served as Rites Presenter but resigned soon after, envied for his talent. He later followed Han Yu, Zhang Che, and others on staff, traveling widely as his poetic fame grew. Han Yu wrote a 'Defense of Naming Taboos' arguing the injustice of his exclusion, but it could not change his fate. Li He died young at twenty-seven; after his death friends compiled his poems into the Changgu Collection.

Sources