Writers › Writer / Poet

Han Yu

Mid-Tang essayist and official who led the return to ancient-style prose and was banished to Chaozhou for his memorial against the Buddha relic

Also known as Zi Tuizhi · Changli Xiansheng · Han Changli · Hanwen Gong

Han Yu, courtesy name Tuizhi, came from Heyang in Henan (modern Mengzhou) and, claiming Changli as his ancestral seat, was known as Han Changli. He passed the jinshi examination in 792 and, as an investigating censor in 803, was demoted to magistrate of Yangshan after reporting drought and famine around the capital. In 817 he served as adjutant to Pei Du in the campaign that subdued Huaixi and wrote the stele text commemorating it; in 819 his Memorial on the Buddha Bone had him exiled as prefect of Chaozhou. He urged a return to the prose of the pre-Qin and Han masters in place of parallel prose, writing pieces such as On the Way (Yuan dao) and On Teachers (Shi shuo), and campaigned for ancient-style prose together with Liu Zongyuan. He died in Chang'an in 824 as Vice-Minister of Personnel and was given the posthumous name Wen. Su Shi's inscription for Han Yu's temple at Chaozhou said his writing revived prose after eight dynasties of decline.

Life and times

  1. 768 CEBornTang
  2. 824 CEDied

Works

  1. Literature · Prose108
    1. On TeachersTangHan Yu's essay on the need for teachers and on learning from anyone who knows the Way
    2. Inquiry into the True WayTangHan Yu's essay defining the Confucian Way and its lineage against Buddhism and Daoism
    3. Inquiry into the Source of SlanderTangHan Yu's essay on the roots of slander, contrasting how gentlemen judge themselves and others
    4. Explanation on the Advancement of LearningTangHan Yu's mock dialogue with his Imperial Academy students, a wry complaint of neglected talent
    5. Miscellaneous Discourses IV: On HorsesTangHan Yu's allegorical essay on the thousand-li horse, a lament for talent unrecognized
    6. +25 more
      1. Memorial Text for the Twelfth NephewTangHan Yu's funeral address for his nephew Twelfth Son, with whom he was raised as an orphan
      2. Postscript to the Biography of Censor ZhangTangHan Yu's postscript defending Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan, defenders of Suiyang, and Nan Jiyun
      3. Veritable Record of ShunzongTangHan Yu's five-juan record of Emperor Shunzong's reign, the only Tang veritable record extant
      4. Epitaph for Liu ZihouTangHan Yu's epitaph for his friend Liu Zongyuan: his exile, his rule at Liuzhou, his prose
      5. Preface Seeing Off Meng DongyeTangHan Yu's farewell to Meng Jiao, reading all literature as the cry of things out of balance
      6. In Praise of BoyiTangHan Yu's tribute to Boyi and Shuqi, who held to what was right when the whole world said no
      7. On the Capture of the QilinTangHan Yu's short essay on the qilin no one can recognise, a figure for unrecognised talent
      8. Miscellaneous Discourses ITangHan Yu's parable of the dragon and its clouds, each needing the other to show its power
      9. Biography of Wang Chengfu the PlastererTangHan Yu records a Chang'an plasterer's own account of honest labour and holds it up as a mirror
      10. A Disputation on Name TaboosTangHan Yu defends Li He's right to sit the jinshi, taking apart a pedantic name taboo
      11. On the Remonstrating MinisterTangHan Yu rebukes a remonstrance official who said nothing on policy for five years
      12. Second Letter to the Chancellor, Nineteen Days LaterTangAfter nineteen days of silence Han Yu writes again: a drowning man cries out for help
      13. Third Letter to the Chancellor, Twenty-Nine Days LaterTangHan Yu's third letter holds up the Duke of Zhou, who never stopped seeking talent
      14. Letter to Yu of XiangyangTangHan Yu writes to the governor at Xiangyang: great men and young talent need each other
      15. Letter to Supervising Secretary ChenTangHan Yu explains to an old patron why he has kept away, and sends his writings by way of apology
      16. Letter to Someone While Sitting for the ExaminationTangHan Yu, sitting the examination, likens himself to a stranded water creature that will not beg
      17. Preface Seeing Off Li Yuan on His Return to PanguTangHan Yu sees a friend home to his valley, the recluse set against the mighty and the climbers
      18. Preface Seeing Off Dong ShaonanTangHan Yu's brief farewell to a failed candidate heading north, encouragement laced with warning
      19. Preface Seeing Off Vice Prefect YangTangHan Yu sees the aged poet Yang Juyuan home, comparing him with two famous Han retirees
      20. Preface Seeing Off Recluse ShiTangHan Yu marks a recluse's call to a general's staff, with toasts that double as warnings to both
      21. Preface Seeing Off Recluse Wen to the Heyang ArmyTangHan Yu's playful farewell: like Bo Le emptying the herds, a general has taken every good man
      22. Address to the CrocodilesTangHan Yu, prefect of Chaozhou, feeds the crocodiles a sheep and a pig, then orders them out
      23. Inquiry into Human NatureTangHan Yu's theory of three grades of human nature, against Mencius, Xunzi and Yang Xiong
      24. Answering a Question about YuTangHan Yu defends Yu for handing the throne to his son: a settled succession prevents strife
      25. On Mourning Dress for ReburialTangHan Yu from the classics: reburial calls for the lightest mourning dress, and only for parents
    7. Open all works→
  2. Literature · Sayings31
    1. A Thousand-Weight Hanging by a HairTangIdiom from a Han Yu letter: a great weight hanging by a hair, utmost peril
    2. Rare in a Thousand YearsTangIdiom from Han Yu's memorial from Chaozhou: a chance that comes once in a thousand years
    3. Ends of the Earth, Corners of the SeaTangIdiom from Han Yu's elegy for his nephew: the remotest corners of the earth
    4. Treat All AlikeTangIdiom from Han Yu's essay Yuan Ren: treating everyone alike
    5. Charge Again, Sharpen AgainTangIdiom from Han Yu and Meng Jiao's cockfight verses: pressing on with renewed effort
    6. +25 more
      1. Steeped by What One Sees and HearsTangIdiom from a Han Yu epitaph: shaped unawares by what one sees and hears
      2. Light Carriage on a Familiar RoadTangIdiom from a Han Yu preface: an easy job on familiar ground
      3. Passing On the Way and Teaching LearningTangIdiom from Han Yu's On Teachers: the teacher's duty to pass on the Way and teach
      4. Mastery Comes from DiligenceTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explanation on the Advancement of Learning: mastery comes from diligence
      5. Praised by Every Mouth in UnisonTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: the great men of the day vie to praise him
      6. Gathering and Storing Every Kind of RemedyTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explanation of Progress in Learning: taking in all things, wasting none
      7. Turning Away as if Never AcquaintedTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: friends who turn cold at the first small loss
      8. Explaining by Word and Pointing with the HandTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: patiently teaching students to write
      9. Savoring the Blossoms of Fine WritingTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explanation of Progress in Learning: savoring the essence of great writing
      10. Claiming There Are No Fine Horses in the WorldTangAphorism from Han Yu's On Horses: blaming a lack of talent one cannot recognize
      11. Horns Beginning to ShowTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: early talent breaking through
      12. Words Run Out but Grief Never EndsTangAphorism from Han Yu's Elegy for Twelfth Nephew: grief beyond all words
      13. Shelved in an Idle PostTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explaining Progress in Learning: being left in a post with nothing to do
      14. Swearing by Heaven and the Sun with TearsTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: solemn oaths that may prove hollow
      15. Plantain and Puffball in the Physician's ChestTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explanation of Progress in Learning: humble things that have their uses
      16. Throwing Stones on a Friend Fallen into the PitTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: hitting someone who is already down
      17. Deeds Are Accomplished Through Careful ThoughtTangIdiom from Han Yu's Explanation of Progress in Learning: success comes from careful thought
      18. Soaring Spirit and Sweeping EloquenceTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: the dazzling vigour of a young talent
      19. Companions Only in Wine and FeastingTangIdiom from Han Yu's epitaph for Liu Zongyuan: friends who share only food and drink
      20. Stale Phrases Must Be Swept AwayTangIdiom from Han Yu's Letter in Reply to Li Yi: clear out stale words and write your own
      21. No Damming, No Flow; No Halting, No AdvanceTangFamous line from Han Yu's Essentials of the Way: halt the old so the true way can flow
      22. They Simply Do Not Know Horses: Han Yu on TalentTangFamous line from Han Yu's On Horses: the fault lies with those who cannot recognise talent
      23. Loving All Widely Is Called BenevolenceTangFamous line from Han Yu's On the Origin of the Way: benevolence defined as broad love
      24. Sages Keep No Single TeacherTangFamous line from Han Yu's On Teachers: the wise learn from anyone who knows
      25. Holding One City to Shield the EmpireTangFamous line from Han Yu's postscript on Zhang Xun: one city held to save the empire
  3. Literature · Rhapsodies4
    1. Five Admonitions, with PrefaceTangHan Yu at twenty-eight arraigns himself in five admonitions, from idleness to the love of fame
    2. In Praise of Zichan for Sparing the Village SchoolTangHan Yu praises Zichan for letting the people speak and mourns an age without true ministers
    3. Indicting the Wind LordTangHan Yu takes the Wind Lord to heaven's court for blowing the rain clouds away in a drought
    4. Seeing Off the Ghosts of PovertyTangHan Yu tries to send off his five Ghosts of Poverty, and ends by seating them in honour
  4. Literature · Criticism1
    1. Letter in Reply to Li YiTangHan Yu's reply to the young Li Yi on learning to write and the vital spirit behind words
  5. Literature · Poetry1
    1. Light Rain in Early SpringTangHan Yu's quatrain for Zhang Ji on the faint first green of grass after early spring rain

Family tree

  1. Direct kin
    Han Yu
    Grandnephew
    Han Xiang

Connections

  1. Rulers and officials1
    1. Li ChunSovereign · 778 CE–820 CE