GB Times - Poetry was recorded in China from the 11th century BCE during the Western Zhou Dynasty, with the first volume, the “Book of Songs,” collecting 305 of the poems written during those times.

Developing in style and content over the centuries, poetry reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), with some 48,900 poems of this time period remaining for us today.

Writers and Styles

It was also a popular theme in Tang Dynasty poetry to describe the natural landscape of China.

The growth in popularity of poetry at this time gave rise to more writers prepared to dedicate themselves to composing it. Some 2,300 poets are recorded from this time, with the most famous names today including Li Bai and Du Fu. Poetry from them and others is still read and studied widely in China today.

Writing styles, too, evolved rapidly over this time period, with poetry changing into longer styles that would continue into the next Dynasties. The classic style for such poetry is to be made up of four or eight line verses, with five or seven characters in each line.

Expressing the Nature of the Country and People

Much of the poetry from the Tang Dynasty continues the themes of earlier times and talks about people’s values, desires, and struggles. This type of work offers us a great insight into the cultures and lives of the time, and forms a valuable historical record. Much of the later poetry of Du Fu expresses the concerns and struggles of society, and tells us about the corruption of the society at that time and the effect this had on many people.

It was also a popular theme in Tang Dynasty poetry to describe the natural landscape of China and to express to people the beauty of scenic views and areas. Li Bai is highly regarded for much poetry of this style, creating poems that describe and praise the many mountains and rivers of his country.