“It is better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo” is a poem written by Su Shi, a writer in the Song Dynasty.

“It is better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo.” From Su Shi’s “Yu Qianseng Luyunxuan” of the Song Dynasty, the whole poem is: It is better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo. No meat makes you thin, and no bamboo makes you vulgar. People who are thin can still gain weight, but scholars and common people cannot cure it. Others laughed at this statement, as if they were both high and foolish. If you still chew on this, are there any Yangzhou cranes in the world?

The translation is: There can be no meat in the food, but bamboo can’t be left in the house. No meat makes people thin, but no bamboo makes people vulgar. Others laughed at my words, as if they were both noble and crazy. If I could treat Lord Zhu as secular, how could there be Yangzhou cranes in the world?

Biography

Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo and Su Xian, was a writer, calligrapher and painter in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the second year of Jiayou's reign (1057), Su Shi became a Jinshi. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he served in Fengxiang, Hangzhou, Mizhou, Xuzhou, Huzhou and other places. In the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), he was demoted to the deputy envoy of Huangzhou Tuanlian due to the "Wutai Poetry Case".

Later he served as a bachelor of Hanlin, a bachelor of attendants, and a minister of the Ministry of Rites. He also went to Hangzhou, Yingzhou, Yangzhou, Dingzhou and other places. In his later years, he was demoted to Huizhou and Danzhou because of the new party's rule. Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty was pardoned and returned to the north, but died of illness in Changzhou on the way. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, he was posthumously given the title of Taishi; during the period of Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty, he was posthumously given the title "Wenzhong".

Su Shi was a literary leader in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty and made great achievements in poetry, lyrics, prose, calligraphy, and painting. His poems have broad themes, fresh and bold, and he is also called "Su Huang" together with Huang Tingjian; his poetry is of the bold and unrestrained school, and he is a representative of the bold school with Xin Qiji, and is also called "Su Xin"; his prose writings are grand and rich, and he is called "Ou Su" together with Ouyang Xiu. He is one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties".