The poets used anger as a pen and poetry as a paper to express their strong dissatisfaction with social injustice, political corruption, and personal suffering. So, where does the anger in Tang poetry come from?
Anger often stems from dissatisfaction with the situation
The Tang Dynasty was a time of political turmoil and social unrest. In this context, poets often use poetry to express their anger and concern about the current situation. Wei Zhuang described his inner resentment as "angry and angry, and God drove Yue to be busy" in "Autumn Feelings", expressing his strong dissatisfaction with social unrest and political corruption. Du Fu was even more blunt in "Five Hundred Words of Yonghuai from Beijing to Fengxian": "Zhumen's wine and meat stink, and there are frozen bones on the road. Through the contrast between the rich and the poor, he angrily exposed the injustice of society and showed the struggle and helplessness of the people in the midst of hardship.
Derived from the satire and exposure of political corruption
Political corruption was not uncommon in the Tang Dynasty, and problems such as official corruption and bribery, power struggles, etc., were not uncommon. In the face of such a political reality, the poets did not choose to remain silent, but used sharp brushstrokes to expose the corruption one by one. Xue Feng used the past to satirize the present in "The White Horse Station": "The princes don't save Henan, but they like the virtuous king to come from afar." By describing the princes' refusal to save Henan, he hinted at the seriousness of political corruption at that time, and his anger was overflowing.
It stems from the poet's dissatisfaction and rebellion against personal encounters
In the Tang Dynasty, despite the prosperity of society, the fate of individuals was often conditioned by various factors. Poets were either angry because they lost their political battles, or because they were in trouble, or because they had suffered injustices. Zhang Hu confided in "Qin Song Lyrics: Pheasant Flying Exercise": "I want to go to heaven to be a weaver girl, and I am jealous of being a riverside woman." Sorrow is like rushing back to the snow, flying low and acacia bones. With an angry gesture of "heart-to-heart and indignation", he expressed a strong rebellion against personal encounters and social injustices, and his emotions were fierce and moving.
Stemming from the poet's anxiety about moral decay
The social atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty was open, but it was also accompanied by a dilution of moral values. Poets are keenly aware of this phenomenon and express their anger and anxiety about moral decay through their poems. With angry strokes, they call on people to regain their moral bottom line and adhere to social justice.
It reflects the deep patriotic feelings of the poets
When the country was invaded by foreign enemies and the nation was in peril, the anger in the hearts of the poets was like a raging flame, illuminating their way forward. Wang Changling wrote angrily in "Seven Songs from the Army: The Fourth": "Qinghai Changyun Dark Snow Mountain, the lonely city looks at Yumen Pass. The yellow sand wears gold armor in a hundred battles, and Loulan will not be returned if it is not broken. He was angry at the brutality of his enemies, at the sinking of his country, and even more at the mediocrity who put his country's safety at risk. This kind of anger is a defense of national dignity and a defence to national interests.
When we deeply read the angry poems in Tang poetry, we can not only feel the passion and indignation in the hearts of the poets, but also experience their deep thinking and unique insights on social, political and moral issues. As Tang poems demonstrate, anger is not a negative emotion, but a positive force that can inspire us to pursue truth, justice, and a better life.
