Meng Haoran

Meng Haoran (Chinese孟浩然, Meng Haoran Pinyin ) (* 689 or 691, † 740) was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, which is often referred to together with the poet Wang Wei, with whom he was friends. Transliteration also: Meng Hao -jan

He was born in a land owning family in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, and spent a lot of time during his life on the family estate, which he was very connected. Many of his poems are about the landscapes, legends and history of this area.

Meng is one of the first full-fledged representative of the style of the Tang heyday. In addition to poetry in the Old Style ( Gushi ), he also wrote poetry in moderns style ( Jintishi ). The seal Meng Haorans was popular among the officials of the capital and 15 of his total of 218 poems were included in the Three Hundred Tang Poems. In addition to the 218 poems, some verses have survived scattered.

One of the most famous poems is the fünfsilbige quatrains Chun Xiao春晓( awakening in the spring ).

Mengs political career was unsuccessful. He passed the Jinshi exam until the age of 39 and received his only official posts three years before his death, but gave him after just one year on.

Werkausgaben

• The Mountain Poems of Meng Hao -jan. transl. by David Hinton. Archipelagos Books, New York 2004, ISBN 0-9728692-3-9