Throughout Chinese history, there has been a certain type of intellectual who was born with an unyielding spirit. Unarmed, they dared to defy an entire era; though they could have held official posts and received salaries, they turned their backs on such opportunities, preferring to go hungry rather than bow to powers they despised. In a world where those who “know when to adapt” are considered the true heroes, such people often seem out of touch with reality. Yet, strangely, over the course of thousands of years, while the smooth-talking and cleverness have largely been forgotten by history, the names of these uncooperative “stubborn donkeys” have been passed down through the generations, forming an unbroken river of integrity in Chinese culture.
We begin with an account of Tao Yuanming, who was a Chinese poet and politician. He was one of the best-known poets of the Six Dynasties period. Tao Yuanming spent much of his life in reclusion, living in the countryside, farming, reading, drinking wine, receiving the occasional guest, and writing poems that reflected on the pleasures and difficulties of life and his decision to withdraw from civil service.
Huang Gongwang was a Chinese painter, poet, and writer born at the end of the Song dynasty in Changshu, Jiangsu. He was the oldest of the “Four Masters of the Yuan dynasty” (1206-1368).
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