A native of Xiangyang on the Han River in northern Hubei, Meng lived most of his life in retirement here. Li Bo and Wang Wei, both ten years younger than Meng, were his friends and admirers. He went to Changan, the capital when he was fourty but did not pass the jinshi examination. Before returning to his home he took an extended trip to eastern and central China, including Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. His poems reflect his bucholic life and his devotion to Buddhism.
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