| Some may argue that Chinese poet Li Bai
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| | moon in conjunction with the sun provides
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| is beyond compare. With words that seem
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| | natural harmony in a world that may, in
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| to fall straight from the heavens, he,
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| | the best of times, represent some sort of
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| perhaps like no other poet can make us
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| | ideal cosmic design. Often portrayed as a
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| both feel the earth and touch the
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| | feminine image, the moon is a celebrated
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| sky.Born during China's illustrious Tang
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| | icon that remains a focal point for not
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| Dynasty, Li Bai could in modern day terms
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| | only Chinese conceptions of time, it is
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| be described as an eccentric outcast. A
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| | an important symbol for many other
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| renowned member of the fringe of Chinese
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| | important traditions as well. Perhaps the
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| society, his poetry would subsequently
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| | most notable examples of this symbol are
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| show that as an extraordinary artist, he
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| | the many images that occur during Chinese
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| lived his life far beyond the range of
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| | New Year celebrations. During these
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| any ordinary human experience.As a
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| | festive times family ties are solidified
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| composer of a large body of work that
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| | and traditional ideas may be reinforced
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| includes contemplations on the nature of
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| | as well.A unique poetic visionWith this
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| human existence, the natural unity of the
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| | in mind, it is quite fascinating to
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| cosmos and the sheer exaltation of the
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| | consider how this ancient symbol became
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| human spirit his writing, is no doubt,
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| | such an important part of Li Bai's
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| characterized by a set of emotions that
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| | poetry. And perhaps even more interesting
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| are responsible for, none other than,
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| | to consider how it became a part of the
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| some of the worlds' most exquisite art.An
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| | inner workings of his mind.In the classic
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| intricate set of emotionsDistinguished
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| | poem "Alone Drinking under the Moon" for
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| not only by picturesque landscapes,
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| | example, the moon provides a light that
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| unique personalities and highly
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| | shimmers across a dark forbidding sky.
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| imaginative descriptions of the universe,
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| | Below it however is the the pondering
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| his poetry often contains an underlying
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| | poet, highly immersed in his own deep
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| conflict that contrasts his natural
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| | reflection.Then as he begins to sip his
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| tendency to revel in the grand glories of
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| | legendary wine, he catches a glimpse of
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| nature with profound feelings of both
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| | himself the moon and his shadow. In a
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| loneliness and despair.With striking
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| | scene somewhat reminiscent of some sort
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| heartfelt images, Li Bai combines
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| | of divine religious apparition, Li Bai
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| allusion, innuendo and sublime subtlety
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| | appears to come to terms with both his
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| to create a dark depressing underworld
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| | spiritual side, as well as the ironic
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| that appears to lie just below the
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| | aspects of his own material existence.In
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| surface of his conscious thought. These
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| | an assessment of his need for wholeness,
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| images provide the texts with a texture
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| | harmony and friendship, he writes, "While
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| and complexity that is rarely found in
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| | still not drunk...I am glad to make the
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| any other work. And at the same time they
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| | moon and shadow into friends...but when I
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| continue to intrigue an impressive number
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| | have drunk too much we all part.Champion
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| of people who are captivated by the
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| | for human freedomTo say that Li Bai, a
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| nature of his unwonted, unparalleled
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| | man whose thoughts often seem marked by
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| bliss.In "Alone Drinking under the Moon"
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| | some sort of intense internal struggle,
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| for example, this fascinating dichotomy
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| | is a bit of an enigma, is certainly more
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| reaches a great climactic crescendo. In a
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| | than on the mark. Perhaps no other poet
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| conflicted, debauched state of
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| | was so effective in creating such
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| drunkenness, Li Bai writes " I am
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| | disparate emotion.Drawn by his
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| alone...for the moon cannot drink...and
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| | conflicting thoughts, readers of Li Bai
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| my shadow goes emptily along with
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| | are often intrigued by a blend of
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| me...never saying a word.On loneliness
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| | dissonance that creates a very unique
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| and despairIn just a few short lines, Li
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| | poetic vision. And it is precisely this
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| Bai, a great master of mystic revelry has
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| | vision that has not only attracted
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| created a unique poetic vision whereby we
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| | readers for many centuries. It has caused
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| as readers are encouraged to experience
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| | them to examine the poet, his position
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| both his abundant joy as well as his
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| | and his extraordinary way of experiencing
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| agonizing sorrow.In a drunken state of
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| | the world.In an assessment of his
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| merriment we can quite literally feel the
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| | extraordinary way of viewing the world,
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| great waves of pleasure pulsating through
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| | some may argue that it is the result of
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| his veins. Yet at the same time he
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| | unconscious efforts to repress unwanted
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| encourages us to yearn for something
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| | painful thoughts. Others may argue that
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| more.Caught in a cross-fire between his
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| | the poet's art is merely the result of
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| own licentious behavior and a desire for
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| | his failure to adjust to the mundane
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| spiritual transcendence, he describes a
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| | realities of an unhappy unfulfilled
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| condition that few of us may ever really
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| | life.When considering the nature and
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| come to know.Highly engrossed in the
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| | significance of Li Bai's poetry it may be
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| natural spirit of his own material
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| | helpful to acknowledge that while his
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| existence, Li Bai can make us quiver with
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| | writing often includes considerable
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| unequivocal bliss. Yet far removed from a
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| | fantasy, it is indeed true that beneath
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| prolonged state of euphoria, he is deeply
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| | his words lies an artist with acute
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| entrenched in an empty bottomless pit.In
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| | sensitivities to the nature of his
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| this classic poem Li Bai writes...Amongst
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| | everyday experiences. And it is with
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| the flowers I am alone with my pot of
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| | these acute sensitivities that he has
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| wine drinking by myself;
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| | created a transcendent reality that is
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| then lifting my cup I asked the moon to
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| | based upon the sanctity of his own
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| drink with me,
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| | material existence.Certainly a courageous
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| its reflection and mine in the wine cup,
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| | poet and a bit of a political maverick as
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| just the three of us;
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| | well, Li Bai's poetry often challenges
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| then I sigh for the moon cannot drink,
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| | various Chinese art forms that may be
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| and my shadow goes emptily along with me
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| | bound by the authoritarian roots of its'
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| never saying a word;
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| | longstanding Confucian traditions. But
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| with no other friends here, I can but
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| | like a modern-day rebel, he has forged
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| use these two for company;
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| | his way into the annals of Chinese
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| in this time of happiness, I too must be
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| | history by creating unparalleled poetry
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| happy with all around me;
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| | with a style and personality that is not
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| then if I dance it is my shadow that
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| | only phenomenal, it is wild and wonderful
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| dances along with me, while still not
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| | as well.Great romantic spiritFor those
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| drunk,
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| | who are eager to delve into the depths of
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| I am glad to make the moon and shadow
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| | Li Bai's poetry such an endeavor will
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| into friends,
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| | surely prove to be quite an adventurous
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| but then when I have drunk too much we
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| | trip. Embedded in his art is the soul of
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| all part.
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| | a lively free spirit with a writing style
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| Yet these are friends I can count on,
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| | that seems to leap straight from the
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| these who have no emotion whatsoever;
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| | page.Undoubtedly the product of a highly
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| I hope that one day we three will meet
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| | independent mind, Li Bai has taught us
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| again, deep in the milky way.A natural
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| | that while the parameters of human
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| state of elationTo provide some
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| | freedom may at times seem to be quite
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| perspective upon a mind that was often in
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| | limited, creative alternatives are always
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| a natural state of elation while it
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| | available to those who place great faith
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| created poetry with a melancholic form of
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| | in the natural spirit of their own
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| discontent, it is important to realize
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| | physical sensations.Admittedly a romantic
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| that Li Bai was no ordinary person.Like a
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| | point of view, which emphasizes the
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| true Taoist priest he chose to concern
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| | freedom of self expression, he has
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| himself with the natural beauty of the
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| | written in a style that is among the most
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| vast Chinese countryside. Away from the
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| | captivating the world has ever known.The
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| city and all that it represents, Li Bai
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| | unique elements within his texts include
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| created a personal philosophy that
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| | fascinating descriptions of the
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| bordered upon religious fervor. And at
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| | relationship between his internal and
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| the core of this philosophy was a
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| | external world, as well as a true
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| profound appreciation for the natural
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| | celebration of the great nobility of the
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| world and all of the magical qualities
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| | common man. With a predilection for
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| that it seemed to possess.Purportedly
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| | melancholy, and a profound interest in
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| born upon the steppe in nearby Central
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| | the remote, these stylistic features
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| Asia, Li Bai's family fled China to
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| | intensify the emotional content that is
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| escape political persecution at the hands
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| | an essential part of the meaning of the
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| of Li Yun, the first emperor of the
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| | poet's words.It is for these reasons, and
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| legendary Tang dynasty.Upon resettling in
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| | many others, that we, who appreciate the
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| Sichuan province years later, he began
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| | great significance of Li Bai's work, will
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| traveling the countryside producing a
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| | continue to stand and applaud as it
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| tremendous body of poetry. Tragically
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| | continues to send great ripples across
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| however, after living quite an exciting
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| | our minds.An uncommon characterYet it is
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| and adventurous life, he died as a result
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| | not only Li Bai's words that seem to have
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| of the effects of
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| | such a dramatic affect upon his readers,
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| chronic long term alcoholism. Folk
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| | it is the unique character of his
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| stories even claim that in a highly
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| | personality that always seems to shine
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| demented state he drowned attempting to
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| | right through. Biographers may argue that
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| scoop the moon from the Yangtze river.On
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| | Li Bai's life upon the steppe may have
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| rapture and revelryWhile it would be easy
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| | shaped his burgeoning personality. Others
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| to consider Li Bai's death a great
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| | may emphasize political factors, namely
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| calamity, his enormous talent and lasting
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| | his family's persecution at the hands of
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| legacy may certainly serve as some
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| | Li Yun, the Tang dynasty's first
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| compensation for an untimely, and
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| | emperor.In any event, to the extent that
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| arguably, an unnecessary death. Often
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| | Li Bai's poetry provides insight into the
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| described as a great romantic poet, his
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| | true nature of his personality, we find
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| style precedes the classic writers of th
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| | recurrent themes that color his most
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| English genre by approximately one
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| | famous work. Among the most interesting
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| thousand years. And like other romantic
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| | of these themes is a passionate desire to
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| poets that include Blake, Byron,
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| | achieve harmony in the form of warm
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| Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats, Li Bai's
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| | comforting relationships. These
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| work is characterized by an independent
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| | relationships, sometimes sensual in
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| spirit that defies convention and expands
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| | nature, may at times, even include erotic
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| the limits of human freedom.Clearly
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| | overtones that stimulate the mind, adding
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| influenced by Taoist conceptions of the
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| | strength, vitality and clarity to each of
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| universe as well as the flourishing art
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| | his legendary scenes.Other images are
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| and culture of the highly celebrated Tang
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| | quite abstract. Yet dripping with
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| dynasty, Li Bai immersed himself in the
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| | colorful hues and bright with fervid
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| spectacular scenery that surrounded him.
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| | imagery, he can really reel you in. ----
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| Known for his unrestrained emotional
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| | Just think of the gleaming moon.It
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| style, his greatest attribute may have
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| | resonates above us glowing in its perfect
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| been his extraordinary ability to
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| | round symmetrical shape. Considered an
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| accentuate the natural beauty in his own
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| | object of beauty, stimulating ire joy and
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| native environment. In an era that
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| | misery, he has created imagery that
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| preceded the development of modern
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| | appeals to both our sense of aesthetics
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| technologies by centuries, Li Bai created
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| | as well as our most base primal
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| lasting images so striking and colorful
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| | impulses.Sipping deep red wine from a
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| his place in Chinese art and culture can
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| | shining silver chalice, one can really
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| never be denied.So we must ask ourselves
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| | begin to consider the joyful pleasure and
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| how did this legendary figure become such
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| | endless possibilities that may be
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| a creative force? How did he come to
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| | available to both woman and man.The
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| write such celebrated words? And how did
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| | destiny and origin of a poet and his
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| he develop into such an outstanding
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| | poetryAnd like other divine work, we hope
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| talent?"Alone Drinking under the Moon",
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| | that much of Li Bai's poetry will arrive
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| one of his most famous works certainly
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| | at its final destination, an unknown
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| provides us with some important
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| | amorphous heaven.For we, the chosen
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| clues.Reflections from a dark moonlit
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| | recipients of his illustrious words are
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| skyWith images that often linger deep
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| | truly grateful for his divine gifts and
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| within the human mind, Li Bai has
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| | all that they have now come to
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| introduced many important aspects of
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| | represent.And as great admirers of his
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| traditional Chinese culture within this
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| | poetry, we can only hope that more of us
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| fabled poem. The moon for example, in
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| | will begin to enjoy the profound meaning
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| stark contrast to frequent
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| | of his inspiration, as well as his
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| representations in western literary
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| | heavenly heartfelt words.To appreciate
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| traditions is often a symbol of hope, not
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| | this poet, is to appreciate both Li Bai
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| an image of gloom and doom.In Chinese
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| | and the world. And at the risk of
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| culture, and in particular in numerous
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| | sounding quite callow, or perhaps even a
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| images in Li Bai's work, the moon
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| | bit naive---we must surely ask, is there
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| provides light in the midst of darkness.
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| | any real reason to believe that anything,
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| In other Chinese literary representations
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| | could possibly, begin to mean much
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| it has been known to provide an aura of
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| | more?For Li Bai like no other can make us
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| hope when the sky seems quite ominous and
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| | both feel the earth and touch the
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| foreboding.Influenced by ancient Chinese
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| | sky.Gerald Marchewka is an American free
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| precepts that draw associations between
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| | lance writer currently living in
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| entities with disparate qualities, the
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| | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
|
