Wang Wei

Wang Wei (699-761), whose courtesy name was Mojie, was known as Mojie layman. He was also known as Wang Youcheng due to his official position. He was also known as the poet and Buddha. He was a native of Qi County, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. He was an official, poet and painter in the Tang Dynasty. Wang Wei was born in a gentry family and was promoted to Jinshi. He was demoted to Jezhou and was appreciated by Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling. He was promoted to Youshiyi and Zuobuque, and became a court poet. He was captured by the rebels during the Anshi Rebellion and was forced to accept a post. After being rescued, he was found guilty of treason. He was pardoned by Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. He was only demoted to Prince Zhongyun. Later, he moved to Zhongshu Sheren and Shangshu Youcheng. Wang Wei's important contribution lies in improving the status of quatrains and the artistic characteristics of antitheses. He is known as the "Tian Wen Zong". He was praised by Su Shi as "painting in poetry" and poetry in painting. He was revered as the ancestor of ink painting and the master of landscape painting. There are more than 370 poems by Wang Wei in existence. They are good at various genres and have a wide range of themes. They are especially good at landscape poems and pastoral poems. The style of poetry is soft, quiet and leisurely, and the language is concise and comprehensive. The poems are widely sung. His famous works include "Wangchuan Collection", "Reminiscences of Shandong Brothers on September 9th", "Send Yuan Er Envoy to Anxi", "Bird Song Stream", etc. In terms of painting, Wang Wei was influenced by both Li Sixun and Wu Daozi. He used broken ink techniques and was good at landscape painting and figure painting. His representative works include "Wangchuan Picture" and "Fu Sheng Teaching Sutra Picture". In terms of religion, Wang Wei believed in Buddhism, practiced Zen for a long time, and incorporated Zen principles into his poetry.