Li Bai (701–762), courtesy name Taibai, was one of the greatest poets of China's Tang Dynasty, revered as the 'Poet Immortal.' A legendary figure known for his love of wine, swordplay, and wandering, he was free-spirited and contemptuous of authority. He left roughly a thousand poems characterized by bold imagination, romantic grandeur, and natural grace, including masterpieces like 'Bring in the Wine,' 'Hard Roads in Shu,' and 'Quiet Night Thought.'
As a towering figure of High Tang poetry, Li Bai represents the pinnacle of Chinese poetic achievement alongside Du Fu. His celebration of freedom, nature, and the human spirit expanded the boundaries of poetic expression and established a new paradigm for Romantic poetry in Chinese literature. His influence extends globally—his poems are among the most translated in world literature and have inspired Western Romantic poets and modern writers alike.
