Li He
Tang poet of ghostly themes, prevented from exams by taboo.
via Wikipedia: Middle Ages · see source
Li He (c. His courtesy name was Changji, and he was also called Guicai (devilish talent) and Shigui (poet ghost).
- field
- Poetry
- nationality
- Chinese (Tang dynasty)
- known_for
- Ghostly and supernatural poetry; nickname Guicai (devilish talent)
Lore & Background
Li He was described as very thin, with a unibrow and long fingernails. He died at age 26 or 27, a poor and low-ranking official. According to the Short Biography of Li He, at his death a figure in scarlet told him that Shangdi had summoned him to heaven to write poetry. He was a diligent poet, carrying a brocade bag to jot down lines during daytime journeys and completing poems at home in the evening. An anecdote claims a cousin threw his collected poems into a privy out of personal dislike.
Reader's Guide
Li He's significance lies in his unique poetic style, dubbed Changji-ti after his courtesy name, which was frequently imitated in China until the Qing dynasty. His poems avoid regulated verse and use inauspicious words like 'aging' and 'death,' exploring ghostly and supernatural worlds. Modern critics note that his poetry was more subject to imitation than neglect in premodern China.
Did You Know?
- Li He was described as very thin, with a unibrow and long fingernails.
- He died at age 26 or 27, a poor and low-ranking official.
- According to the Short Biography of Li He, at his death a figure in scarlet told him that Shangdi had summoned him to heaven to write poetry.
- An anecdote claims a cousin threw his collected poems into a privy out of personal dislike.
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