Su Shi vs Li Bai: A Clash of China’s Greatest Poetic Styles
I. Two Titans: The Pinnacle of Tang and Song Poetry Li Bai (701-762) and Su Shi (1037-1101) represent two poetic ideals—one embodies the romantic tempest of the High Tang, the other channels the philosophical depth of the Song Dynasty. Western readers often compare Li Bai to “China’s Byron,” while Su Shi resembles an “Eastern Thoreau.”…