Tang Poetry

Tang poetry is the verse of China's Tang dynasty, 618–907, expressed through ancient-style forms, regulated verse, and concentrated quatrains. Its language brings natural scenes into close relation with friendship, separation, public duty, and spiritual reflection. Li Bai's expansive imagination, Du Fu's attention to suffering and responsibility, and Wang Wei's quiet landscapes reveal the range within this tradition. Sound, parallel phrasing, and allusion can carry meaning beyond a poem's few lines. The poems have continued to travel through recitation, calligraphy, teaching, and translation, preserving both individual voices and the cultural life of their age.