白居易
唐
Bai Juyi, courtesy name Letian and literary name Xiangshan Jushi, was one of the major poets of the Tang dynasty. With Yuan Zhen, he advocated the New Yuefu movement, arguing that poetry should be clear, socially engaged, and responsive to real events. His language is famously plain and fluent, but often deeply expressive. His works range from socially critical poems such as 'The Charcoal Seller' to long narrative masterpieces such as 'Song of Everlasting Regret' and 'Song of the Pipa,' as well as many poems on leisure, landscape, friendship, and everyday life. Bai Juyi served as prefect of Hangzhou and Suzhou, and his poems on Jiangnan scenery show both affection and close observation. 'Spring Outing at Qiantang Lake' is one of his clearest and freshest landscape poems.