Some people say that Du Fu is declining before he is old, and Li Bai has no twilight years. When it comes to the poet Du Fu, there will always be an image of an old man who is faltering, frowning, and cherishes the people of his family and country.
His life was filled with a deep sympathy for the suffering of the people, which made him look old in his youth. However, how many people truly understand his depth and bleakness?
Some people even accused Du Fu of low emotional intelligence, so he lived a depressed life in his later years. It is precisely this helplessness that made Du Fu sigh sadly before his death: "A hundred years of singing self-suffering, I have not seen a soulmate." ”
The young Du Fu was born into a bureaucratic family, and although his family was in a middle-class situation, he still lived a life without food and clothing, and received a good education. He was a fun-loving teenager who was full of curiosity and enthusiasm for life.
At the age of 20, he traveled all over the famous mountains and rivers, enjoyed the magnificent rivers and mountains of the motherland, and wrote many poems that have been passed down through the ages, including "Wangyue". At the age of 33, he and Li Bai met, and the two were like-minded and had a good conversation.
They visited famous mountains together, sought immortals, and spent a romantic ranger life. However, because Du Fu's father was only ordered by Fengtian County, and Li Bai's father was a wealthy businessman, Du Fu had to endure the pain of "breaking up" with Li Bai and went to Chang'an to pursue his career.
Although the brief meeting between the two was just a breeze at Li Bai's fingertips, for Du Fu, Li Bai was a shock, he missed Li Bai all his life, and Li Bai's name often appeared in his poems.
Why does Du Fu miss Li Bai? Maybe it's because Li Bai is living the life he dreams of. Du Fu, on the other hand, suffered repeated setbacks in his career and was middle-aged and poor. At the age of 35, he went to the capital Chang'an to seek an official position, but he was intoxicated by Tang Xuanzong Li Longji and handed over power to the traitorous Li Linfu, making him change from a Ming monarch to a confused son of heaven.
Li Linfu was jealous of his ability to preside over the most bizarre imperial examination in history, turned away all candidates, and then flattered Li Longji and said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, all talents are already under your rule!" ”
Du Fu unfortunately participated in this deceptive exam and failed to make the list. What's more unfortunate is that his father died during this period, which made Du Fu lose his financial **, and he could only act as "guests" for Li Jin, the king of Ruyang, and Zheng Qianyao, the concubine, to spend their boring time with them.
In addition, he also found a side job to collect medicines and sell them for money. In such a life, Du Fu missed Li Bai's free and easy life, not burdened by the trivial matters of officialdom, and lived the life he wanted.
Under the dual pressure of poverty and dedication, Du Fu struggled to make ends meet, and at the same time actively contributed articles to dignitaries. For example, in 751, when Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty held three grand ceremonies in a row, Du Fu seized the opportunity to write three "Great Gifts" and put the "Three Great Gifts Table" into Yan'en Kuang.
His efforts eventually paid off, and in 755 he was appointed lieutenant of Hexi County. However, the government became chaotic under the agitation of Li Linfu, and the duty of the county governor at that time was to cater to the officials and abuse the people.
The 43-year-old Du Fu did not want to hurt the people, he refused the appointment of the lieutenant of Hexi County, and turned to the right guard to lead the government to join the army. This is a small official position under the eighth grade, responsible for guarding the armor and weapons, and managing the access control lock key.
Therefore, Du Fu was only a petty official all his life and never had a rich life.
Du Fu's life was full of twists and turns. After the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, he began to live in exile with his wife and children, and was captured by the rebels on the way. However, he never gave up his concern for his family and worries about his country.
While in exile, he wrote "Spring Hope", expressing his sorrow over the ruin of his country and his indictment of the cruelty of war. After going through hardships, Du Fu successfully escaped from prison and found his separated wife and children, and the joy of reunion was like a dream.
However, his officialdom career did not rise smoothly because of this, but was relegated to Huazhou, witnessed the tragic experience of the people, and wrote "The Stone Trench Officer", revealing the cruelty of the officials and the suffering of the people.
Although Du Fu's life was full of difficulties and setbacks, he always adhered to his beliefs and recorded his life experiences in poetry, becoming an important figure in the history of Chinese literature.
After Du Fu despaired of politics, he took the initiative to give up the position of Huazhou Sigong to join the army. After traveling to many places, he found a wasteland on the bank of Huanhua River in the west of Chengdu City, built a thatched cottage, and ended his life of ten years of Chang'an and four years of exile.
During this period, Du Fu mainly relied on the help of friends, especially Yan Wu. However, after Yan Wu entered the court, Du Fu began to live in exile again until Yan Wu returned.
Du Fu moved to the Chengdu Jiedu Embassy and became Yan Wu's staff, busy working every day. However, due to mutual suspicion, jealousy, and attacks among the staff, Du Fu, who was over half a hundred years old, was exhausted.
In the end, Du Fu suffered from wind paralysis due to unspeakable depression in his heart. In order to seek ** and a quiet life, Du Fu wrote a letter to Yan Wu asking for his resignation, and Yan Wu agreed to his request.
Du Fu suffered a lot from the setbacks of life, and he once again embarked on the road to leave his hometown, and his long-term life on the water made him physically sick and almost a crippled old man, however, even at the last moment of his life, he did not give up his creation, and insisted on writing more than 400 poems in the boat.
"Ascending" is known as the crown of the seven laws of ancient and modern times: the wind is urgent, the sky is high, the ape howls, and the white bird flies back. Boundless falling trees and Xiao Xiao, endless Yangtze River rolling. He is often a guest in the sad autumn, and he has been on stage alone for more than a hundred years.
Hardship, bitterness, hatred, frost and sideburns, pouring down a new turbid wine glass. Du Fu, a 58-year-old life traveler, has been fighting against fate all his life, from the early years of "Qiu Ma frivolous, **unruly", to the middle-aged career is not smooth, after the Anshi Rebellion, and then to the resignation in his later years, poor and sick, his life is full of setbacks and tribulations, but he has always insisted on creation, recorded the emotions and lives of the people with poetry, and wrote many immortal poems for the people, worrying about the country and the people.
As a scholar from a feudal bureaucratic family, he transcended his class limitations and saw things outside his class. Du Fu's life is a tragedy, but it is also a hymn to perseverance.