Chapter 337: A Poet for Everyone?

"A poet for everyone?"

Liu Bang asked curiously, "What does 'a poet for everyone' mean?"

Gu Shanhe explained, "It means that from the emperor and prime ministers down to peddlers and pawns, and even illiterate commoners, everyone can hear and understand his poetry."

"Legend has it that after Bai Juyi finished a poem, he would first read it to an illiterate old woman. If she understood it, he would finalize the draft; if she didn't, he would revise it until she did."

The five emperors looked at each other in dismay.

"Reading poetry to an illiterate old woman?"

Liu Che looked incredulous. "This... this is too grand a vision."

"I always thought poetry was the domain of scholars and refined gentlemen. How could it be done this way?"

Li Shimin laughed heartily. "I think this approach is brilliant."

"Poetry is written to be read. If only a handful of people can understand it, what is the point?"

"Bai Juyi returned poetry to its rightful place—belonging to everyone."

The screen was flooded with comments—

【Comment from a Song Dynasty netizen】

"Understood by the old woman"—this is one of the greatest concepts in the history of Chinese literature.

【Comment from a Ming Dynasty netizen】

After Bai Juyi, no poet dared to say, "Only scholars can understand my poetry."

【Comment from a modern netizen】

Bai Juyi was China's earliest practitioner of "mass culture."

【Comment from a workplace netizen】

If your boss asks you to write a report, you should learn from Bai Juyi—write it so even the cleaning lady can understand it.

The scene on the sky screen shifted, slowly unfolding the sight of the Great Tang transitioning from prosperity to decline—

The flames of the An Lushan Rebellion had not yet fully extinguished, regional military governors carved out their own territories, eunuchs acted imperiously in the imperial court, and commoners were displaced in the fields.

【After experiencing the An Lushan Rebellion, the prosperous age of the Tang ended. The Great Tang went from prosperity to decline, marked by regional separatism, eunuch dominance, heavy taxes, frequent warfare, and displaced, suffering commoners.】

Seeing the words "An Lushan Rebellion," Li Shimin's expression darkened.

Although he already knew that the late Tang would face trouble, his heart still felt heavy every time he saw these words.

Ying Zheng glanced at him without speaking.

But he understood this feeling—watching the dynasty he founded head toward decline while being unable to do anything. He knew this sense of powerlessness best.

【Status of the literary world: After Li Bai and Du Fu forged the peak of the Tang poetic scene, the mid-Tang poetic world fell into silence. Most scholars indulged in landscapes and polished their rhetoric, their works detached from reality and filled with affected sentiment.】

【Gap of the era: The court and the public lacked those who dared to speak out; the literary world lacked works that voiced the people's concerns. No one recorded the suffering of the commoners, and no one wrote of the era's hardships. Bai Juyi arrived at the right time, filling the dual void of the mid-Tang poetic world and the era.】

Cao Cao's comment drifted out—

【Comment from Cao Cao, Three Kingdoms】

In troubled times, scholars either escape reality to indulge in landscapes or whitewash the peace to sing praises.

Those who dare to face the darkness and record the suffering are few and far between.

This Bai Juyi—I, the Prime Minister, am beginning to see him in a new light.

【Comment from Cao Zhi, Three Kingdoms】

The poetry of the Jian'an period, though it also wrote of troubled times, mostly expressed personal frustration at not being appreciated.

Bai Juyi wrote of the people's suffering; his vision is indeed different.

【Comment from Liu Bei, Three Kingdoms】

Having spent half a life wandering, he had seen too many commoners displaced and destitute.

If someone can record these things in writing, letting future generations know the truth of troubled times, that is an act of immeasurable merit.

Zhuge Liang slowly typed out a comment—

【Comment from Zhuge Liang, Three Kingdoms】

Poetry can inspire, can observe, can unite, and can criticize.

Bai Juyi's poetry possesses both "observation" and "criticism"—observing the people's plight and criticizing the politics of the time.

This is a continuation of the *Classic of Poetry* tradition and a manifestation of a scholar's conscience.

【Comment from Sima Yi, Three Kingdoms】

In troubled times, what is most lacking is not military generals, but scholars who dare to speak the truth.

Bai Juyi dared to speak, so he is not just a poet, but a historian.

In the villa, Liu Che sighed, "It seems this Bai Juyi is not just a poet, but an official with a conscience."

Liu Xiu nodded. "Serving as an official for the people, writing literature that reflects reality—this is a true scholar."

On the sky screen, the scene switched to Bai Juyi's youth.

He stood on the streets of Luoyang, looking at the suffering of the people, his eyes filled with compassion.

He picked up his brush and wrote a line on paper—

【Literature should be written for the times, and poetry should be composed for events.】

These fourteen characters shimmered with golden light on the sky screen, as if declaring a new literary philosophy to all time and space.

【Core reason for Bai Juyi's ranking: Contribution to literary reform: He initiated the New Music Bureau movement, the most influential of the Tang Dynasty, established eternal literary standards, and thoroughly reversed the superficial and hollow poetic style of the mid-Tang.】

Li Shimin savored these fourteen characters: "Literature should be written for the times, and poetry should be composed for events—writing articles for the sake of the era, and writing poetry for the sake of real events."

"Not to show off literary talent, not to seek fame, but to record the era and criticize current ills."

Wei Zheng's voice came from outside—

Although he hadn't entered the villa, he had been listening from outside.

At this moment, he couldn't help but interject: "Your Majesty is right! Bai Juyi's philosophy coincides with my way of remonstrance."

"I remonstrate to correct current ills, and Bai Juyi writes poetry to correct current ills."

"The methods are different, but the original intention is the same."

Fang Xuanling also chimed in: "The mid-Tang poetic world was rife with superficiality. Bai Juyi's move was no different from dropping a bomb in the literary world."

"He brought poetry back to the ground and reconnected it with the people."

【Bai Juyi's contribution to the accessibility of poetry: He abandoned the obscure style exclusive to scholars. His poems are simple and easy to understand, "understood by the old woman," breaking down the class barriers of poetry and allowing refined literature to enter the markets, the fields, and the alleys.】

Liu Bang slapped his thigh: "This is good! I hate those flowery things; I look at them for half a day and can't understand them."

"If Bai Juyi's poems can be understood even by an old woman, then I can certainly understand them too!"

Liu Che couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, your cultural level... um... is indeed about the same as an old woman's."

Liu Bang: "... Are you mocking me, kid?"

Liu Che quickly waved his hands: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I'm just stating facts."

Ying Zheng snorted coldly: "You two, that's enough."

On the sky screen appeared one of Bai Juyi's most famous short poems—

【Luxuriant grasses on the plain,

Withering and flourishing once every year.

Wildfires cannot burn them out,

The spring breeze blows them back to life.】

"Wildfires cannot burn them out, the spring breeze blows them back to life."

Liu Xiu recited these two lines and sighed, "This poem seems to be about grass, but it is actually about vitality."

"No matter how great the hardships, as long as the spring breeze blows, the grass will grow again."

"This is an unyielding spirit."

Liu Che nodded: "And the language is indeed simple, without a single obscure character, yet the imagery is profound."

"This is Bai Juyi's skill—using the most ordinary words to write the most extraordinary poetry."

Liu Bei's comment drifted out—

【Comment from Liu Bei, Three Kingdoms】

Wildfires cannot burn them out, the spring breeze blows them back to life.

I have drifted for a lifetime, failing repeatedly but fighting repeatedly; it is this spirit that I rely on.

【Comment from Cao Cao, Three Kingdoms】

Liu Bei, you're getting sentimental again.

【Comment from Liu Bei, Three Kingdoms】

Mengde, I am speaking the truth.

【Comment from Cao Cao, Three Kingdoms】

Fine, I, Cao Cao, admit this poem is well-written.

"Wildfires cannot burn them out, the spring breeze blows them back to life"—this vitality is truly moving. ===== CHAPTER 338 =====