Li Yi
Li Yi

Li Yi (Chinese: 李益; pinyin: Lǐ Yì, about 746/748–827/829) was a poet of the Tang dynasty. Three of Li Yi's poems were collected in the popular anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems. However, one of his most famous poems and one which was included in most other Classical Chinese poetry anthologies was not included in the Tang 300, namely the one translated by Herbert Giles as "A cast-off favourite", written in the persona of a palace lady.

Li Yi Famous Poems

    • ○ Palace Lament (宫怨)
      "Li Yi, renowned for his frontier poems, was also deeply versed in the theme of palace lament. He lived during the Tang dynasty after the An Lushan Rebellion, witnessing firsthand the empire's decline from its peak. This sense of historical v…"
    • ○ A Date (写情)
      "This poem depicts the pain of heartbreak through a seven-character quatrain. The poet expresses emotions stemming from disappointment, helplessness, and even despair. The poem employs the backdrop of beautiful scenery, virtual techniques, an…"
    • ○ Song of River Bian (汴河曲)
      "Li Yi composed this poem during the mid-Tang Dynasty while serving as a Registrar in Zheng County. Witnessing societal corruption and the suffering of the people, he expressed his sentiments through the scenery of the Bian River. The poem la…"
    • ○ Looking into Mirror One Day Before Beginning of Autumn (立秋前一日览镜)
      "By Li Yi"
    • ○ On Hearing a Flute at Night From the Wall of Shouxiang (夜上受降城闻笛)
      "Seven-character-quatrainComposed during the mid-Tang Dynasty when national power was declining and border conflicts were frequent, this poem captures the intense homesickness of garrison soldiers stationed long-term at the frontier. The Surr…"
    • ○ A Song of the Southern River (江南曲)
      "Folk-song-styled-verseThis Tang dynasty poem belongs to the "boudoir plaint" genre, portraying the resentment of a merchant's wife left alone at home awaiting her husband's uncertain return. During the Tang era's commercial prosper…"
    • ○ A Brief But Happy Meeting With My Brother-in Law "Meeting By Accident, Only To Part" (喜见外弟又言别)
      "Five-character-regular-verse"
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