Li Yu (后唐) 李煜

Li Yu, 937-978, the emperor of southern Tang dynasty. After the conquer by Song dynasty, he become a prisoner, then later died of poison. Most of his poems were written during the time as a prisoner in reflecting this deep pain and sorrow of losing his own dynasty as an emperor. His poems put great details in description with refined words and musical harmony. He started a new era in Chinese poetry and is undoubtedly one of the most important poets in Chinese history.

Corn Poppy 《虞美人》
Billows Carried Away Sands 《浪淘沙令 》


李煜（９３７－９７８），初名从嘉，字重光，号钟隐，南唐中主第六子。徐州人。 宋建隆二年（９６１年）在金陵即位，在位十五年，世称李后主。他嗣位的时候， 南唐已奉宋正朔，苟安于江南一隅。宋开宝七年（９７４年），宋太祖屡次遣人诏 其北上，均辞不去。同年十月，宋兵南下攻金陵。明年十一月城破，后主肉袒出降， 被俘到汴京，封违命侯。太宗即位，进封陇西郡公。太平兴国三年（９７８）七夕 是他四十二岁生日，宋太宗恨他有“故国不堪回首月明中”之词，命人在宴会上下 牵机药将他毒死。追封吴王，葬洛阳邙山。

后主前期词作风格绮丽柔靡，还不脱“花间”习气。国亡后在“日夕只以眼泪洗面”的软禁生涯中，以一首首泣尽以血的绝唱，使亡国之君成为千古词坛的“南面王”（清沈雄《古今词话》语），正是“国家不幸诗家幸，话到沧桑语始工”。这些后期词作，凄凉悲壮，意境深远，已为苏辛所谓的“豪放”派打下了伏笔，为词史上承前启后的大宗师，如王国维《人间词话》所言：“词至李后主而眼界始大，感慨遂深。”至于其语句的清丽，音韵的和谐，更是空前绝后的了。后主本有集，已失传。现存词四十六首，其中几首前期作品或为他人所作，可以确定者仅三十八首。