A Scholarly Enquiry into Li Bai and Du Fu offers a comprehensive study of the lives, journeys, and poetic legacies of China’s two greatest Tang-dynasty poets. Drawing on textual, historical, and intertextual evidence, the study investigates Li Bai’s travels from exile to pardon, the contested readings of several key poems, and Du Fu’s evolving poetic consciousness amid political turmoil. It further explores how both poets engaged with Daoist thought and the cultures of China’s ethnic minorities, illuminating their shared pursuit of moral integrity and artistic transcendence.

Through a meticulous comparison of classical commentaries, Quan Tang Wen, and later collected editions, this book traces the transmission and reinterpretation of their works across dynasties. Li Bai and Du Fu are situated within the continuum of modern scholarship, revealing how their spiritual essence continues to resonate with 21st century readers.

This volume integrates literary criticism, cultural history, and philological inquiry to not only deepen our understanding of Li Bai and Du Fu but also reconsider the broader dynamics of Chinese poetic tradition and its enduring dialogue between creativity, culture, and moral vision.

Written by Xu Xiping, Ph.D.
Professor of Southwest Minzu University, China

Translated by Yang Yanyan, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China