T'ao Yüan-ming as reflected in his poetry

T’ao Yüan-ming (365-427 A.D.) remains China's greatest medieval poet. While no adequate biographical sources exist, the poet’s own work presents the most intimate picture of T’ao Yüan-ming himself, in addition to reflecting various aspects of his historical and cultural era. This essay explores T’ao Yüan-ming’s character as reflected in his verse. When poised against a broader historical and cultural background, T’ao Yüan-ming’s poetry goes furthest in revealing the poet as an individual as well as a product of his times.