Du Fu, dated 712–770 in the Palace Museum’s reference, was a Tang poet.
Reference context#
The museum identifies his courtesy name Zimei and discusses the realist tendency associated with his poetry. Such a literary characterization is different from treating every poetic detail as a complete historical record.
Reading exercise#
Read a named poem with its title and translation. Distinguish the date of composition, the events it recalls and the date of a later manuscript or artwork. A narrator’s words should not become an invented interview with the poet.
Scope#
The reading questions are editorial suggestions. This introduction does not reproduce literary passages or claim a complete biography.