Dù Fǔ (712-770)
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Notes: Music is an erhu 二胡 rendition of the tune Beige 悲歌, Song of Grief. Du Fu Biography 712-770 731-735 Traveling in East and Southeast, 江蘇, 浙江, 河南, 河北, 山東. 736 In Changan took and failed the Jinshi examination. 736-740 Wandering in Shandong and Hebei. 741-745 In Luoyang 744 At 洛陽 Luoyang met 李白 Li Bo, not sooner?? 746-759 Age 36, in 長安 Changan and the capital region. 751 Passed special examination, but no position ensued. 751-753 Gentleman farmer in 杜陵 Dùlíng, his ancestral home southeast of Xian. 754 due to local famine moved with his family to 奉先 Fèngxiān (modern 莆城 Púchéng) 755 Met again with Li Bo at Luchen (石門 Shimen??), south of Taishan. 755 44 years old. 安祿山 Ān Lùshān rebellion. Returned ?? to 風翔 Fēngxiáng, west of Xian. Younger son died of starvation. Then moved to Fuzhou in northern Shaanxi. Rebels seized Changan. Du Fu captured by rebels but later escaped to join the Emperor in 肅宋 Suzong, 風翔 Fēngxiáng. 757 Fall, moved back to Changan. 758 Demoted and banished to 華州 Huázhōu ??. Visited 洛陽 Luòyáng. 759 Took long journey over 隴山 Lǒngshān to 秦州 Qínzhōu (Tianshui), 甘 Gānsù and lived with his nephew for four months at a village which today is a two hour drive south of Tianshui. Then traveled to 同谷 Tónggǔ (成縣)in December, stayed one month and continued on to 成都 Chéngdū in Sichuan. 760 In Spring built his 草堂 thatched cottage in outskirts of Chengdu. Lived here 4 years. 761 His friend 高適 Gao Shi appointed Prefect of Chengdu for four months. His successor,釅 Yan Wu, was also a friend of Du Fu. 762 Emperor Xuanzong and his son Suzong died in succession and Yan Wu recalled to capital. Du Fu accompanied him to 綿州 Mianzhou and saw him off at the 奉濟 Fengji post station. Unable to return to Chengdu due to local uprising. 762 Autumn brought his family to 梓州 Zizhou 762 Traveled to Langzhou, Gansu for memorial service for his friend Fang Guan. 764 Brought his wife to 閬州 Langzhou. Refused a position as censor and started traveling down the 閬水 Lang River, 嘉陵江 Jialing River and 長江 Changjiang to 江南 Jiangnan. Changed his mind and returned to Chengdu to a position as Staff Officer. Moved from his cottage to Chengdu. 765 Resigned and returned to his cottage but his friend Yan Wu died in April and Du Fu was again cut loose. 765 Fifth month traveled by boat down the Changjiang to 雲安 Yunan, west of 夔州 Kuizhou. 766 Spring continued on to 夔州 Kuizhou, at the entrance to the Three Gorges, where lived four years and nine months. 768 Left 夔州 and 白帝城 Baidicheng by boat and traveled through the 三峽 Sanxia, 瞿塘峽 Chutangxia, 巫峽 Wuxia, 西陵峽 Xilingxia, in third month arriving at 荊州 Jingzhou (now 江陵 Jiangling) in 湖北 Hubei, but he was not greeted warmly and was destitute. Started north toward Changan but due to Tibetan incursions turned south by boat to 岳州 Yuezhou and 衡州 Hengzhou arriving at 潭州 Tanzhou, 湖南 Hunan in late summer 769. Lived sick and forlorn on his boat. 770 fourth month local mutiny in 潭州 Tanzhou. Du Fu fled north to 衡州 Hengzhou and up 郴 Chen River but stymied due to floods. Died on 湘江 Xiang River in winter of 770 at age 59. |