Short Biography of Li He
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The Short Biography of Li He (traditional Chinese: 李賀小傳; simplified Chinese: 李贺小传; pinyin: lǐ hè xiǎo chuán) is the earliest surviving record of the life of the Chinese poet Li He (c. 790 – c. 816).[1] It was compiled by the poet Li Shangyin.[1] Du Mu's preface to the collected poems of Li He, which predates the Short Biography, was compiled in 831, but it contains almost no biographical details on Li.[1] Other, later, biographies are given in chapter 137 of the Old Book of Tang and chapter 203 of the New Book of Tang.[2]
The work opens with an allusion to Du Mu's preface, and contrasts the "curiosity" of Li's poetry as discussed by Du Mu with the actual account of the man Li which the Short Biography purports to give.[3] The opening passages also make a claim to being based on an account of Li given by his elder sister.[3] The work's physical description of Li ("skinny, unibrow, long fingernails") resembles that given to Taoist immortals in hagiographies such as the Liexian Zhuan.[4]
The Short Biography goes on to discuss Li's poetic composition and his friendships with the renowned poet Han Yu,[5] Wang Shenyuan (王參元/王参元), Yang Jingzhi (楊敬之/杨敬之), Quan Qu (權璩/权璩) and Cui Zhi.[6]