Chapter 12 Li Bai: A Heavenly Man Falling into the Mortal World

Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, nicknamed Qinglian Jushi, was born in 701 AD (the first year of Empress Wu Zetian's Chang'an).Regarding his native place, there are two theories in history: "Old Book of Tang" says that he was "Shandong native" (generally refers to the east of Xiaoshan Mountain, which is today's middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River); "New Book of Tang" says that he He was the ninth grandson of Li Hao, the king of Liang Wuzhao in the Sixteen Kingdoms period. According to this, Li Bai's native place should be Longxi Chengji (now southwest of Jingning, Gansu).In Li Bai himself's "Book of Jingzhou with Han", there is such a sentence: "The commoners in Bailongxi live in Chu and Han...", so it should be true.

In addition to his native place, Li Bai's birthplace is also a mystery that has always been debated. "New Book of Tang" states: "At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he moved to the Western Regions due to crimes. At the beginning of Shenlong, he escaped and returned to Brazil." It means that his ancestors were exiled to the Western Regions for crimes in the late Sui Dynasty, and did not abscond until the early years of Shenlong. In today's Langzhong area of ​​Sichuan, his mother gave birth to him here.In addition, there is another saying, which comes from the "Tombstone of Li Gongxin, a Hanlin scholar collected by the left of the Tang Dynasty" written by Fan Chuanzheng.Fan Chuan is the son of Li Bai's good friend, who moved Li Bai's tomb in the last years of Tang Xianzong Yuanhe.In his new inscription after moving the tomb, he stated that Li Bai's ancestors were "devastated at the end of the Sui Dynasty, a house was thrown into broken leaves, scattered and scattered, and their names were changed".Based on this research, Guo Moruo believed that Li Bai was born in Suiye in Central Asia, which is near the city of Tokmak in northern Kyrgyzstan today.Today's academic circles are still controversial and inconclusive, but most people agree with this statement.

It is said that when Li Bai was born, his mother had dreamed of Taibai Jinxing, so he was named "Bai", the word "Taibai".Around the age of five, Li Bai moved with his parents to Qinglian Township, Changlong County, Mianzhou (now Jiangyou City, Sichuan).It is said in history that Li Bai had a talent for literature since he was a child, and he was proficient in poetry at the age of ten. Li Bai is not only a talented poet, but also "likes vertical and horizontal skills, fencing, being a chivalrous man, and focusing on wealth" ("New Book of Tang·Li Bai Biography"), just like a heroic knight and swordsman. "Old Tang Book" said that he "has few talents, great ambitions, and a heart that transcends the world".In Li Bai's mind, a real man should not sit in his study all his life looking for chapters and excerpts, and read the poor scriptures. Instead, he should embrace the "four directions" and travel the world with his sword. political ideals.In Li Bai's own words, it is "Shen Guanyan's talk, seeking the emperor's art, striving for his wisdom, willing to be the assistant prime minister, so that the Huan district will be settled, and Haixian will be cleared." ("Dai Shoushan Reply to Meng Shaofu's Transfer Document")

In order to pursue such a life ideal and realize his lofty aspirations, Li Bai left the place where he was born and grew up in the autumn of the 12th year of Kaiyuan (724 A.D.), "going to the country with a sword, resigning relatives and traveling far away", and started a heroic journey. And a magnificent cloud travel career.He left Shu from Mount Emei, went down the east of the river, crossed Jingmen, arrived at Jiangling, visited Dongting, climbed Mount Lu, and visited Jinling, Yangzhou and other places successively.In the fifteenth year of Kaiyuan (AD 727), Li Bai came to Anlu (now Anlu City, Hubei Province), where he married the granddaughter of the late Prime Minister Xu Yushi, and lived here ever since.

In the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan (730 A.D.), the young Li Bai left Anlu, came to Chang'an for the first time, and began to seek opportunities for political career.At that time, Tang Xuanzong's younger sister and Princess Yuzhen, who had been a Taoist for many years, had a separate hall in Zhongnan Mountain, where literati and scholars such as Wang Wei, Chu Guangxi and others often gathered here. Make friends.At the same time, Li Bai paid homage to many celebrities and dignitaries in the capital, hoping to be introduced to the court as an official through their recommendation. In the 20th year of Kaiyuan (732 A.D.), Li Bai went down the Yellow River and roamed in Taiyuan, Luoyang, Jiangxia (now Wuhan, Hubei) and other places.A few years later, his wife Xu died, and Li Bai moved to Donglu and lived in Rencheng (now Jining City, Shandong). He sings, drinks, recites poems and composes Fu every day. He is known as "Liu Yi of Zhuxi".

In the first year of Tianbao (742 A.D.), Li Bai traveled south to Kuaiji and became friends with Taoist Wu Yun, and the two lived together in seclusion in Shanzhong (now Shengzhou, Zhejiang).Soon, Wu Jun was called into the palace, and immediately recommended Li Bai to Xuanzong.At that time, the name of Li Bai's poems had already spread throughout the government and the public, especially He Zhizhang, who was a guest of the prince at that time, after seeing several poems by Li Bai, he couldn't help but admire: "This is also an immortal in the sky!" ("Old Tang Book" Biography of Li Bai") Therefore, under the joint recommendation of Princess Yuzhen, Wu Yun, and He Zhizhang, Xuanzong finally issued an edict to recruit Li Bai into the court.

In these years, although Li Bai has been indulging in mountains and rivers and seeking immortals and Taoism on the surface, the ideal of making contributions in his heart has never been forgotten.Therefore, the moment Li Bai received the emperor's edict, he danced and danced with joy. "Laughing up to the sky and going out, my generation is from Penghao!" ("Nanling Farewell Children Entering Beijing") From the poem written by Li Bai at that time, it is not difficult to imagine his excitement and joy, and it is not difficult to imagine his conceit and madness. In the autumn of the first year of Tianbao, Li Bai, who was forty-two years old at the time, came to Chang'an for the second time and received great courtesy from Xuanzong.According to Li Yangbing (Li Bai's family uncle) in the Tang Dynasty in the "Caotang Collection Preface", at that time Xuanzong "descended his chariot to greet... with seven treasure beds, and served with rice with spoons in his hands".It means that Xuanzong not only got out of the chariot to greet Li Bai on foot, but also hosted a banquet to welcome Li Bai, and even made soup for him with his own hands.Although these few details may not be completely credible, there is no doubt that Li Bai was warmly received by Xuanzong when he entered Beijing this time.

Subsequently, Li Bai was appointed by Xuanzong as the Hanlin Daizhao. Although the wish to become an official has finally been fulfilled this time, the so-called Hanlin Daizhao is just a literary attendant without any authority, equivalent to the emperor's high-ranking retainer. composition.Obviously, it is almost impossible to display political ambitions in such a position. But Li Bai's talent is there after all. Even though he was only a literati for the imperial court, even if he was very unhappy, he still left a group of artistically charming poems for later generations during his service in the Imperial Academy.

That is the three poems of "Qing Ping Tiao Ci" praising Yang Yuhuan. In the spring of the third year of Tianbao (744 A.D.), when hundreds of flowers were in full bloom and peonies were in full bloom, one day, Xuanzong and Yang Yuhuan were admiring the flowers in front of the Chenxiang Pavilion in the east of Longchi in Xingqing Palace. The famous court musician Li Gui Nian accompanied a group of Liyuan disciples by his side.When Li Guinian and others were about to play music and sing to cheer up the emperor, Xuanzong suddenly said, "How can you use old music for concubines when you appreciate famous flowers?" The year of the turtle took the "golden flower paper" to let Li Bai fill in the new words, so there were these three famous masterpieces through the ages:

It should be said that this group of hymns is purely for the occasion, but the reason why Li Bai is Li Bai is that even if it is for the occasion, he can write it so amazingly, brilliantly, and otherworldly. The meaning of the first song is: When I see the clouds in the sky, I seem to see your clothes; when I see charming flowers, I think of your face.Under the spring breeze, you are like a graceful peony dyed with crystal dew.I was thinking, if I hadn't met you on the Qunyu Mountain of the Queen Mother, then I must have met you once in the Yaochi Toad Palace. The meaning of the second song is: You are like a red peony exuding fragrance, even the goddess of Wushan in the dream of King Xiang of Chu cannot compare with your beauty.If you want to ask who can be as beautiful as you, there is probably only one person, and that is Zhao Feiyan in the Han Palace.It's a pity that if she wants to compare with you, she must rely on makeup and makeup.

The meaning of the third song is: Famous flowers and beauties complement each other, making the king stare for a long time with a smile on his face.At this moment, no matter how much spring sorrow and hatred there is, it can be dispelled in an instant, and it can be completely released.Because, there are such beautiful flowers blooming in front of the Chenxiang Pavilion, not to mention there is a beauty more beautiful than flowers, leaning against the railing in a charming manner. When Xuanzong saw the poem, he suddenly felt the spring breeze blowing against his face, and his eyes were full of spring colors. Naturally, the dragon's heart was happy. He immediately ordered Li Guinian and others to "tune the silk and bamboo" and sing loudly. From then on, Xuanzong appreciated Li Bai's talent even more, "I love his talent, and I will see you at several banquets." However, this is not what Li Bai wants. Because, the reason why Li Bai became an official was to govern the country and the country, benefit the world and stabilize the people like a prime minister, and realize the political ideal of "Dading in the Huan District and Qingyi in Haixian County". How could it not make him feel disheartened and full of injustice when encountering such an embarrassing literary attendant? "An Neng smashes eyebrows and bends waist to serve the rich and powerful, making me unhappy?" After all, Li Bai is just a poet. After all, he is just a poet who values ​​inner freedom and joy more than external fame and fortune. Therefore, he is doomed to be unable to achieve success in his official career, and it is also doomed to be unable to realize his political ideals that are far from reality. He does not have the sophistication, sophistication, and flexibility of a politician, and he is not used to the hypocrisy and strife in officialdom, let alone the vulgar and arrogant faces of the powerful.How could such an unrestrained, self-proclaimed and sentimental "exiled immortal" survive and gain a foothold in the dark and complicated officialdom? After all, the Nine Layers Palace can only imprison his spirit and stifle his talent. His world is not here at all! After realizing all this, Li Bai began to let go of himself intentionally or unintentionally.He used to be addicted to alcohol, but now he has reason to soak himself in the wine pool.In the days that followed, whether in the streets of Chang'an or in the royal palaces, he often got drunk and lost himself completely, throwing all the secular norms and palace prohibitions into the sky. "Life is full of joy, don't let the gold bottle empty to the moon" ("Will Enter the Wine"); Inside, and you must enjoy the eternal love" ("Answering the King's Twelve Cold Nights Alone with Conceived Drinks")... In this way, Li Bai drank and drank, and besides "Poetry Immortal", he won another nickname named after "Immortal" - Jiuxian.He, He Zhizhang, Li Shizhi, Li Jing, Cui Zongzhi, Su Jin, Zhang Xu and Jiao Sui are collectively called the "Eight Immortals of Drinking".Du Fu once wrote in "The Song of the Eight Immortals in Drinking": "Li Bai fights a hundred poems, and sleeps in a restaurant in Chang'an City. The emperor can't get on the boat, and claims to be a minister of wine." The story of "the wrestlers taking off their boots" that later generations are fond of talking about happened at this time.The story is that Li Bai was drunk again one day, and Xuanzong summoned him to the palace. He took advantage of the strength of alcohol and deliberately ordered Gao Lishi to help him take off his boots. Although Gao Lishi helped him take off his boots, he hated him from then on. to the bone.Afterwards, Gao Lishi blatantly provoked Yang Yuhuan, saying that Li Bai compared her to Zhao Feiyan in the poem, insinuatingly mocking her and calling her a troublesome beauty.When Yang Yuhuan heard this, of course she became angry from embarrassment, and then blew the pillow wind at Xuanzong, trying to speak ill of Li Bai. This story has been recorded in many history books, such as the old and new "Tang Shu·Li Bai Biography", "Tang Guoshi Bu", "Youyang Miscellaneous", etc., but most historians of later generations concluded that this was not true, and believed that it was for later generations. A fictional story that elevates Li Bai and belittles the eunuch in power.The reasons are: first, Gao Lishi is a third-rank general, deeply favored by Xuanzong, and his power is internal and external, so no matter what the situation is, he cannot take off his boots for Li Bai; Yuhuan, Xuanzong and Yang Yuhuan would not fail to see it, so they didn't have to wait until Gao Lishi came to slander him before he suddenly realized the meaning of the poem. If the scene of "Lishi taking off his boots" is purely fictional, and Li Bai did not offend Gao Lishi and Yang Yuhuan, then why did he leave Chang'an later? The main reason should be that Li Bai wanted to leave.Because, in Chang'an, his ambition was hard to be rewarded, and he felt deeply depressed and depressed. He could only get relief by leaving the court; he. "Three cups flicking the sword and dancing in the autumn moon, suddenly singing tears and tears....Although the king loves moth eyebrows, he has no choice but to kill people with jealousy in the palace!" ("Yuhu Yin") from this poem written by Li Bai in the late period of worshiping Hanlin , it is not difficult to see his depression and loneliness after being excluded. In the autumn of the third year of Tianbao, Li Bai knew that it was meaningless to stay in the palace, so he "begged to return the mountain".But at this time, Xuanzong gradually lost his goodwill towards this guy who was proud of his talents and was drunk every day, so he immediately agreed, "give the money back." In this way, Li Bai ended his short two-year career as an official, and once again "wandered in the rivers and lakes, drinking heavily all day long". ("Old Tang Book Biography of Li Bai") It is said that after Li Bai left Beijing, he went to Huashan, and when he passed the Huayin county government, he was drunk and rode a donkey, as if no one was around.The local county magistrate was furious, called him to the court, and asked loudly: "Who are you, how dare you be rude?!" Li Bai squinted a pair of sleepy eyes and looked at the county magistrate, without giving his name, and only said the following sentence : "I once ordered the dragon towel to wipe the spit, the royal hand to spoon, the imperial concubine to hold the inkstone, and the strong man to take off his boots. In front of the emperor's gate, it is still allowed to walk on a horse; in Huayin County, donkeys are not allowed?" ("Tang Talents") When the county magistrate heard this, he was surprised and ashamed, and thanked him repeatedly: "I don't know that Hanlin is here, so please forgive me!" Li Bai laughed loudly and drifted away. In the fourteenth year of Tianbao (755 A.D.), the Anshi Rebellion broke out suddenly, and the rebel cavalry all went south, and Xuanzong fled to Shu in a hurry.In an instant, mountains and rivers were shattered, people were devastated, and a glorious and prosperous age of singing and dancing collapsed. Li Bai took refuge in Mount Lu during the war, and was invited by Yong Wang Li Lin (Xuanzong's sixteenth son), who was the Jiedu envoy of Yangzhou at that time, to serve as his staff.Li Bai's move was firstly to find a place to settle down, and secondly, he had the thought of "it's not too late to help the common people", hoping to make contributions under King Yong, save the people from the fire and the country, and save the country from danger. "Try borrowing the emperor's jade horsewhip, command the soldiers to sit at the Qiongyan feast. The south wind sweeps away the dust, and goes west to Chang'an to the edge of the sun." However, the ruthless fate mocked Li Bai again. Because Yongwang Li Lin didn't want to restore Li Tang Sheji, but tried to fight against Suzong Li Heng and take advantage of the chaos to occupy half of the country.Soon after, King Yong was defeated and Li Bai was implicated. He was supposed to be punished for the crime, but fortunately Guo Ziyi pleaded for mercy and was changed to exile Yelang (now Tongzi County, Guizhou). In the second year of Qianyuan (759 A.D.), Li Bai was on the way to exile, and it coincided with the court's amnesty, so he was released.When he received the pardon, Li Bai was overwhelmed with surprises. On the way back, he wrote the well-known song "Early Sending to Baidi City": "Among the colorful clouds of Baidi in the court speech, a thousand miles of rivers and tombs will be returned in one day. Hold on, the light boat has already passed the Ten Thousand Mountains." After being pardoned, Li Bai was approaching his sixtieth age and suffering from old illnesses, but he still walked persistently in the devastated and scarred mountains and rivers of his homeland. The troubadour is accompanied only by his poems and his wine. In the first year of Zong Baoying in the Tang Dynasty (762 A.D.), the sixty-three-year-old Li Bai finally came to the end of his life. Regarding Li Bai's ending, there have always been three theories: one is represented by "New Book of Tang", saying that he died of illness in Dangtu, Anhui; City (now Anhui)"; the last one is represented by "Biography of Talented Scholars of Tang Dynasty", which says that Li Bai "went to Niuzhuji, caught the moon with wine, and then sank into the water". The first statement is like a cold official obituary, the second statement is a little more specific, but still too brief, and only the third statement not only tells the cause of death and describes the details, but also is the most poetic and most suitable for Li Bai. The Identity and Character of the Romantic Poets. However, I would like to think that all three statements are wrong. Because Li Bai was originally a "banished immortal" who fell into the mortal world, so I prefer to think that he neither died of illness, nor died of drunkenness or drowning, but turned into a ray of light and returned to the sky. He loved and hurt, cried and sang, and left more than a thousand poems of "the pen falling into the wind and rain, and the poem into weeping ghosts and gods" (Du Fu's words) of spiritual writing, and then he was tired and tired, so he quietly took off the worldly clothes The clothes turned into a ray of light and went back to the sky. If it is not a celestial being who has fallen into the mortal world, how can it be possible that "the wine is full of enthusiasm, seven points become moonlight, and the remaining three points howl into sword energy, and the half of the Tang Dynasty is half as soon as the embroidered mouth is spit out"? ! Perhaps, Li Bai did not belong to this world. Fortunately, the poems he left behind will always belong to the prosperous Tang Dynasty and belong to us.