Of course, these down-and-out poets are not all living on the streets, becoming beggars filling gullies on the roadside and hungry and cold bones. They still have some ways to survive.
First, the ancestral heritage
The imperial examination in Tang dynasty is not a preparatory civil servant selection examination for the public, but it is conditional for those who take the examination. Generally speaking, there are two: one is a student, that is, a student in imperial academy; The second is public election, that is, through the selection and recommendation of governments at or above the county level who have lived for more than three years. At that time, cultural education was not universal education. Therefore, those who were able to qualify for the imperial examination at that time were all children of families with certain social status or economic foundation, including some children of poor families. It is impossible for the children of the real bottom people to qualify for the exam. In other words, the down-and-out poets in the Tang Dynasty, their families are often not poor, they will have fields and houses more or less. Of course, there are indeed people who have exhausted their meager possessions in the long process of studying, taking exams and escaping from official positions.
Take Du Fu as an example. Du Fu went to Chang 'an to take the Jinshi exam at the age of 24 and 36 respectively, but both failed. Running an official in Chang 'an is also very unsatisfactory. Although Yan En presented three gifts (Taiqing Palace Fu, Ancestral Temple Fu and Nanjiao Fu) at the age of forty, he was praised by Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and ordered to stay in Jixian Academy, which was equivalent to getting a scholar's background. However, the so-called waiting system is actually unemployment, and he really has an official position. This is a position responsible for weapons, armor and access keys, and the level is below level 8. Naturally, there is not much oil and water. Therefore, as soon as Du Fu took office, he ridiculed himself that this was to solve the problem of drinking money, and he should mind his own business when drinking ("the official wants to play for me"). However, even this small official in Wei Lu didn't last long. In June of the following year, the Anshi Rebellion broke through Tongguan and entered Chang 'an. Du Fu heard that Su Heng ascended the throne in Lingwu, and immediately went to defect, only to be caught by the rebels of Anshi Rebellion on the way and trapped in Chang 'an. In April of the following year, I fled from the path to Su Zong. In mid-May, he got a left gleaner, who was alienated by Su Zong because he spoke for Fang Fang, and was demoted to join the army in June the following year. After staying in Huazhou for a whole year, Du Fu resigned.
As can be seen from the above description, in the thirteen years after Du Fu arrived in Chang 'an, he only worked as a small official for two and a half years and drifted in Beijing for more than ten years. How did Du Fu's family live during this period? Du Fu himself has a saying that he sells medicine in the city and delivers meals to his relatives and friends ("three gifts and a watch"), but Du Jia's life has another origin. That is, both are still thin (Ode to Okra). The imperial army retaken the last sentence of the poem on both sides of the Yellow River. Du Fu said to himself that there are many pastoral areas in Tokyo. It can be seen that Du Fu's family is undoubtedly the landlord. If it weren't for the war and famine, it wouldn't be a problem to support the family by the tax of the field.
When Li Bai was dismissed by the court, there was also a record of Xuanzong giving gold. However, Li Bai received no more salary from the imperial court than Du Fu. Li Bai himself disdains farming and has never seen him engage in other profitable businesses. We only see him learn sword, learn Taoism, travel around, drink and take medicine (pills), all of which need financial support. According to himself, he also spent a lot of money to help his poor son in his early years. Li Bai's living expenses should also be left over from his ancestors. Some people say that it is possible that Li Bai was born in a rich family.
Second, support the giants.
Du Fu has a poem saying: Seeing home is a common thing, which Cui has heard several times before (On Meeting the River). Many documents also record that many princes and nobles in the Tang Dynasty liked to make friends with the scribes. This may be a fashion at that time. This fashion naturally provides temporary shelter and even lifelong support for some depressed poets.
Li Fan (son of Xuanzong) and Cui Jiu Cui Di (brother of Cui Zhuo, secretary of Chinese Academy of Sciences) mentioned in Du Fu's poems are such rich masters. In addition, a general named He mentioned in many Du Fu's poems is also such a senior official. Zhang Jiuling, Li Yong, Yan Zhenqing, Han Yu, Wei, Ling Huchu and others are the most famous officials who like to make friends with the scribes in the Tang Dynasty. They all visited many poor poets.
When Du Fu traveled in Shandong, he was the guest of Li Yong, then the prefect of Beihai, and was warmly received in Daming Lake, Jinan. Therefore, Du Fu left a sea tour, ancient pavilions and many famous poems in Jinan ("Accompany Li Beihai to dinner in the pavilion"). It is conceivable that there must be other poets on Li Yong's throne. According to the records of famous paintings of past dynasties, when Yan Zhenqing was appointed as the secretariat of Huzhou, Zhang, a heavy smoker, and Lu Yu, who will become in the future, all served as his diners. Kang Qia, known by Li Duan as a famous soldier with constant pressure, is a poet loved by princes. He went in and out of Chang 'an from the homes of princes and nobles, and those aristocratic domestic slaves, like his own, were free to use them at will. His clothes are radiant, which makes others feel ashamed. Dai Shulun and Li Jie, famous poets of Kang's contemporaries, all had similar experiences and wrote poems for them. Dai Shulun: A good king is thicker than me, and a good horse is lighter than himself. Li Wei: It took a long time, from what's new to what's expensive. Wen, a famous poet, once went in and out of the residence of Hu Ling Qiu, the prime minister, and Hu Ling Qiu was very polite to him.
Down-and-out poets' going in and out of princes' and nobles' mansions is just a social activity, where poems are sung and mixed. Being a guest and a diner is generally not a problem, but if you are married and have children, I'm afraid it's difficult to fundamentally solve life problems in this way. In the poem "Twenty-two Rhymes for Wei Zuocheng", Du Fu vividly described his life during his eating in Beijng Tours-Private One-day Tour: he rode a donkey for thirteen years and traveled to Beijing to eat in the spring. At the door of the rich, dusk carries the dust of fat horses. There are broken cups and cold roast everywhere. It can be seen that this is full of helplessness and bitterness.
Third, others help.
It is inevitable that a down-and-out poet will encounter financial difficulties, which requires help.
Not all people can get the support of the emperor like Li Bai and Zhang. Li Bai received a compensation when he was dismissed. After Zhang resigned and retired, he was rewarded as a slave and servant by the emperor. But there are also many down-and-out poets who can get help from people who have a certain status or are rich.
Lu went to be an official due to illness, lived in seclusion in Taibai Mountain, and his life was in trouble. Some officials in Beijing, such as Prince Sheren Pei, Wei Fangxian, Zuo, Yuan Wailang of the Ministry of Water Resources, Dugu Temple Villa, Shaofu Chengsheren, etc. All of them used silks as gifts for Dongshan's clothes and medicine (Lu's "Send Pei Sheren's Clothes and Medicine Book").
According to Li Bai himself, in his early years, he traveled to Yangzhou, and in less than a year, he scattered more than 300,000, and his son, who was down and out, was learned (History of Shang 'an Peichang). I can't guarantee that these down-and-out sons are poets, but it shows that there should be such an atmosphere of giving money to others at that time.
When Liu Cha was down and out, he was in rags and begged the people to eat and drink. After getting the news from the scribes all over the country, Han Yu went to take refuge on foot. After living in Han Yu's house for a period of time, he took some of Han Yu's gold and silver before leaving Han Yu's house because he was at odds with other people in Han Yu's family. He confidently said that it was all money from Han Yu's tomb (touting the dead), so it was better to give him Liu Cha as a birthday present. In this story, Han Yu subjectively didn't want to help Liu Cha get money, but objectively he did.
Xu Tang's imperial examination has been unsuccessful, and his life is in trouble. At that time, Ma Dai served as an adjutant in the Datong army shogunate, and Xu Tang went to see him. The two hit it off, and Ma Dai stayed with Xu Tang for several months. They sang poems and drank wine every day, and Xu Tang never made any demands. One morning, Ma Dai gave a banquet to entertain the guests and asked the messenger to give a letter from home to Xu Tang. Xu Tang was surprised at that time and didn't know where the book came from. After reading the letter from home, I realized that Ma Dai had sent a servant to send money to Xu Tang's house.
There are many such examples. For example, when Du Fu first arrived in Chengdu, he was funded by Gao Shi and others, as evidenced by poems such as Mi Lu ("Rewarding High Officials and Giving Gifts to Gentlemen"); Zhang Hu traveled to Li Shen, Huainan, saying that anglers use rainbow as pole, crescent as hook and short plum (Li Shen is short). Zhuang language touched Li Shen, and Li Shen gave generously.
The above stories are all about officials who directly or indirectly know each other helping the down-and-out poets. As for the help between relatives, it is more common, so I won't go into details here. It can be said that down-and-out poets are addicted to alcohol, and it is very common for friends to help each other drink. Du Fu said that Dr. Zheng Qian of Wenguang Museum was poor, and Su Yuanming, vice president of Guo Zi Company (equivalent to Royal University), often gave him wine to drink. Du Fu himself and Zheng Qian are also looking for money, selling wine without doubt, and then drinking. Yan Fang lived in seclusion in Chongji Temple in Zhong Nanshan, and Cen Can took Qin Qing to look for him.
Fourth, farming in seclusion.
As mentioned earlier, the way to enter the imperial academy in the Tang Dynasty is no different from a wooden bridge. Many people want to cross the bridge, but the bridge is very narrow.
A few decades ago, there was a slogan: the countryside is a vast world with great achievements. It is hard to say how much the countryside can do, but it is indeed a vast world. At least, there can accept many down-and-out poets who have not crossed the single-plank bridge and quit because of difficulties, provide them with food and clothing, and make their lives depend on them so as not to be hungry and cold.
According to Volume III of Tang Yan, after Emperor Taizong acceded to the throne. In order to attract talents, special attention is paid to the reputation of the imperial examination. Since then, many people have lived in seclusion, seclusion and seclusion. It can be seen that many retired people don't really retire, but want to take shortcuts to the south.
Of course, there are also many people who are really hidden.
After Lu was transferred to the county commandant of Xindu (now near Chengdu, Sichuan), he had to resign from his official position because of the severe wind disease (leg cramps, one arm numb), and lived in seclusion in Rabbit Mountain in Yangzhai (now Yuxian, Henan), where he bought dozens of acres of land and cultivated for a living.
There are probably many poets in the Tang Dynasty who once said that if their careers are not smooth, they will return to their hometowns to be farmers. For example, when Wang Wei abandoned his official position and returned to his hometown in Jiangdong, he said that he would become an old farmer from then on ("sending school books to abandon his official position and return to Jiangdong"). However, only a small part of them really go back to being farmers.
Although Zuyong is a scholar, he doesn't seem to get any official position. His life has been in a state of poverty, and he is in poor health and is riddled with diseases. So he returned to Rufen (now Ruyang and Linru in Henan) and left his own career. Zu Yong has his own poems describing this secluded pastoral life. He dunked marijuana into Nanxi and cut the wheat in the east. Familiar with wine and chicken, when it snows behind closed doors. (classified as Rufen Mountain Villa and Liulu Lane) Birds hang down windows and willows, and rainbows make clouds. There is no foreign affairs in the mountains, and firewood sometimes smells. It seems that Zuyong, a famous poet who once sang songs with Wang Wei and others, lived a life close to that of farmers.
Du Fu resigned when he joined the army in Huazhou. His next consideration is to live in the countryside. He chose the countryside near Qin Zhou (in the border area between Gansu and Shaanxi today), and first lived in Dongke Valley, 50 miles southeast of Qin Zhou. In Dongke Valley, Du Fu has obviously made plans for self-sufficiency in farming, ploughing millet thinly, and planting melons on sunny slopes (thirteenth in Twenty Poems of Qinzhou). Later, in order to be closer to my old friend's approved residence, I wanted to settle in Guchi Xizhi Village, 70 miles southwest of Qin Zhou. Life in Qin Zhou was not satisfactory, and Du Fu moved to Tonggu (now Chengxian County, Gansu Province). The situation of bronze drums was not as good as originally rumored, and Du Fu moved his family to Chengdu. After leaving Chengdu, I once lived in Kuizhou (now Fengjie, Chongqing). Du Fu's family lived in the same valley, and their lives were in an unprecedented predicament. In fact, they want to go to the mountains to pick the fruit of oak chestnut in autumn and dig Huangdu (a kind of wild sweet potato) as famine relief food in winter (the first and second songs in the same valley). In Chengdu, Du Fu basically had relatives and friends to help him eat and wear, and he didn't take part in real farm work. His main interest is planting all kinds of flowers, fruits and trees. In Kuizhou, Du Fu bought 40 acres of orchards, and Bai Maolin, the magistrate, asked Du Fu to manage 100 hectares of public land, and assigned him five or six slaves to help him manage the fields. During Kuizhou period, Du Fu actually lived a landlord's life.
After many unsuccessful attempts, Shen Qianyun went back to the mountains for other purposes, saying that he could spend the night under Hengmen. There is a thin country, which cultivates children and weaves women, and is self-sufficient in this life. I don't know the quality of Shen Qianyun's rural life, but we know that some people have a hard life. After becoming an official, Li lived in seclusion in Shaoshi Mountain (Songshan Mountain), and his situation was not very good. Wang, an acquaintance of Du Fu's, obviously has a poor life in agriculture. Du Fu has a poem saying that he is poor, old and thin and sells clothes (alas). Some people stick to allusions and think that selling bricks in poems is just Du Fu's allusions, which does not mean that Wang really needs to sell straw sandals to supplement his family. According to Du Fu's poem, the nearest neighbor left her husband, Hedong's daughter surnamed Liu, and according to the recorded talent biography, in the Tang Dynasty, Wang's wife didn't like her husband's poverty and was sent away to quarrel all day. The life state described by Wang in his own words is close to the life of primitive people: cultivate one's morality and cultivate one's nature, and mow oneself for the sky, like a deer drinking from a spring. Lu Guimeng, a scattered person in the Jianghu, lives in seclusion in Songjiang House. Although there are hundreds of acres of land and 30 families, famine often occurs because the land is low and prone to floods. Lu Guimeng had to carry a shovel to work in the fields himself, so he seldom had leisure.
Five, air-raid shelter empty door
Buddhism stresses compassion. Since ancient times, Buddhism has indeed taken in many people who have encountered difficulties in secular society. This also includes some poets. In the Tang Dynasty, some down-and-out poets got help from Buddhism.
Bai Meng's "Skill Poetry" records that Song exiled to the south, returned from exile, passed by Hangzhou and visited Lingyin Temple. Singing poems in the long corridor of the temple on a moonlit night, the couplet always can't think of anything satisfactory. An old monk helped him to see the sea and the sky, and he listened to two sentences of Zhejiang tide at the door. Thus, these two poems became the epigrams of the whole poem. The next morning, Song came to visit again, but the old monk had disappeared. A monk in the temple told him that this old monk was King Robin. If this record is reliable, it shows that King Robin fled into an empty net to protect himself after Xu Jingye failed in his crusade against Wu Zetian. Luo Wangbin threw himself into an empty net, which belongs to political asylum.
Jia Dao's early belief in Buddhism was completely forced by life. Jia Dao is a monk, and there are different records in the literature. According to Biography of Talented Talents in Tang Dynasty, Jia Dao became a monk after failing in the imperial examination for ten years in a row. At the beginning, the literary field lost in a row, and the bag was empty. Therefore, it is a pagoda without a name. Jia Dao doesn't like becoming a monk in his heart, especially when he is in Qingliu Temple in Luoyang. The local governor of Luoyang ordered monks not to go out in the afternoon. This restrained life makes Jia Dao feel unhappy. To this end, he once wrote a sentimental poem: it is better to go home at sunset than cattle and sheep. Later, when things got a little better, Jia Dao left Buddhism and took the Jinshi exam again. Later, he served as chief bookkeeper in Changjiang County (now Pengxi County, Sichuan Province) and treasurer in Zhou Pu County (now Anyue County, Sichuan Province). Because he is absorbed in poetry, he can't take care of himself and his family has always been bad. When he died, there was no money at home, only a sick donkey and a broken guqin.
There are also down-and-out poets who live in seclusion in the countryside and have not become monks, but they have also received financial support from monks. As mentioned above, Yan Fang, Jinshi and later, had a bad career and had to live in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan. At that time, he lived in Fengde Temple. It is not difficult to imagine that he must have been helped by the temple in his life. Lu Tong, a poet associated with Han Yu, lived in poverty when he lived in Luoyang. According to Han Yu's poem "Send Lutong", Lutong's family has only a few shabby houses. There is a slave with a long beard and a headscarf at home, and a handmaiden who has lost all her teeth and walks barefoot all day. Lu Tong worked hard to support more than ten family members, including a mother, a wife and several children. Because he has contacts with monks in nearby temples, the monks help Lutong send some food and rice from time to time. Lutong also said in his own poem that there is nothing at home except books.
Monks can help some depressed poets. According to the truth, Taoist priests will certainly help some down-and-out poets. In the Tang Dynasty, especially in the late Tang Dynasty, so many frustrated poets joined Taoist books, some of which were forced by life.