Wang Wei: His Work

Wang Wei: His Work

The reign of Xuanzong (712-756) during the middle of the Tang Dynasty saw the peak of Chinese culture, prosperity and world influence. This period, known as the High Tang was an era of peace and economic growth. Emperor Xuanzong was a major patron of the arts, funding eight orchestras, a theater, and a dance school within the palace. Of the three major poets of this time, Li Bai, Du Fu and Wang Wei, Wang was the most prominent poet during their lifetimes. He was personally acquainted with every well-known poet, except Li Bai. He was also the only one to be consistently, yet not always, connected to the imperial court in the capital of Chang’an. He was considered an excellent craftsman and court poet, yet he wore both the tassled cap of the government official, and the cloth cap of a recluse.

Wang Wei was famous for writing fine nature and landscape poetry. Many of these poems were either sent to friends, or used in connection with many of the send-off poems created upon departure of a friend, or himself, going off to travel to a new governmental position. A significant influence upon Wang was his purchase and use of his country estate at the Wang River, about thirty miles south of Chang’an. It was a large piece of property used by Wang as a financially secure country gentleman. He considered himself as a recluse official, practicing a middle retirement, where he could afford to take lower level government positions in order to free up his time to pursue artistic enjoyments and to stay at his country estate for months at a time. This side of him that tended toward rural seclusion was a part of Wang’s regard for the famous recluse poet, Tao Yuanming, which he alludes to many times throughout his body of work.

Notes:

Xuanzong: Tang Dynasty emperor (r.712-756)

Li Bai: (701-762) Famous Tang Dynasty poet

Du Fu: (712-770) Famous Tang Dynasty poet

Tao Yuanming: (365-427) Famous Jin Dynasty poet

Most commonly used words and concepts in his work:

1. Solitary-secluded-remote: (huang 荒, xiao 萧, you 幽, yao 遥, tiao 迢,
mo 寞, jiong 迥, dan单 )

2. Sunset-dusk: (xi夕, mu 暮, luori 落日, luoming 落 明)

3. Empty-emptiness: (kong 空, xu 虚)

4. Autumn: (qiu 秋)

5. Spring (chun 春)

6. Calm-still-quiet: (ji 寂, jing 静, an 安 ,ning 宁)

7. Return: (huan 环, hui 回, gui 归)

8. Pure-clear-clean: (qing 清, jing 净)

9. Pine trees: (song 松)

10. Repeat-again: (fu复)

11. Dawn-east: (dong 东, zhao 朝, dan 旦)

12. Leisure-wine: (xian 闲, jiu 酒)

13. Send-off: (song 送)