Tao Te Ching
Liú Yǔxī 刘禹锡
772 – 842 CE
"Mad old man poet," politician, and philosopher
Poet, philosopher, writer; Liu Yuxi grew up in the political chaos of the time and transitioned from tutor to an heir apparent, secretary to a military governor, a high political post of Investigating Censor, to friend of many literary giants of the Tang Dynasty. He was banished, recalled, banished again because of a satirical poem, then made a provincial governor, and later governor of Suzhou. Along with famous poet/governor Bai Juyi he was known as one of the “two mad old men.” His poetry became some of the most famous throughout China, the other East Asian countries, and now—through insightful translations like Red Pine’s—in the West as well.
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Tang Dynasty 唐朝 (618 – 907 CE)Quotes by Liú Yǔxī (2 quotes)
“A mountain doesn’t have to be high if a saint lives there. Water doesn’t have to be deep if it shelters a dragon. My tiny, simple and shabby room becomes a palace when wisdom reveals itself.”
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“When young I left home and when old I returned. The children see me and ask with smiles where I came from.”
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