Du Fu (712-770), one of the greatest poets in China, is familiar to most of us. However, Du has remained largely unknown in the Western world.
The BBC's one-hour documentary Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet introduces the great poet to Western people. As the first English-language documentary about Du, it compares him to Dante and Shakespeare, two of the greatest masters of literature of the West.
In the film, British historian, Michael Wood explores the poet's life. He visits a number of places, such as the poet's birthplace Gongyi, Henan Province and the Du Fu Thatched Cottage(杜甫草堂) in Chengdu, Sichuan, where Du used to live. Along the way, he meets and talks to people who help to tell the stories of the poet.
The documentary explains why Du's works have been popular for centuries. "Chinese people really value the recording of history and Du is better than anyone at reflecting(反映) history in his poetry. That's because historical events are mirrored in his own life and spiritual(精神的) journey," said Zeng Xiangbo, a professor at Renmin University of China.
Du was a civil servant(文职人员) in the country. But as the An Lushan Rebellion of 755 floored the empire, he escaped, took his family on the road as refugees(难民), and endured starvation(饥俄) and poverty(贫穷). Through ups and downs, the poet never stopped writing, pouring out his concern for his country and people, as well as celebrating the simple joys of life. Known as China's "saint of poetry", he wrote about 1,500 poems that are still with us today.
