Gu Kuang

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公开 可引用 更新于 2026-09-13

Life

Gu Kuang passed the presented-scholar examination in 757, during the second year of the Zhide era.[5] Early in his career he sought appointment as administrator of the Xinting Monitorate, located on the coast at Yanguan, that is, Haiyan; he later served under the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner, worked around Yongjia in 773 and 774, visited Jiangxi in the tenth year of the Dali era, and was involved in salt business at Wenzhou during the Dali era.[6] His offices also included supervising salt, wine, and commercial taxation in Hangzhou and Wenzhou.[7]

From 781 to 786, he served as a bureau judge in the staff of Han Huang, military governor of Zhenhai; after entering the court, he became an assistant judicial officer of the Court of Judicial Review, and his offices also included governor of Runzhou.[8] In 787, when Liu Hun was directing the government, he recommended Gu as a palace-library collator, elsewhere styled Secretary Lang; after Li Mi entered the government, Gu was promoted to a court writer, also given as Assistant Writer, with the latter appointment dated to 788.[9]

Gu was closely associated with Li Mi and also moved in Liu Hun’s circle;[10] he studied under Li Mi and received from him a method of breath cultivation.[11] After Li Mi’s death, Gu wrote “Ode to the Seagull,” mocking the powerful, and incurred their strong enmity. In 789 he was further pushed aside, impeached by the censorate, and demoted to military assistant for household administration at Raozhou.[12]

After the demotion, Gu moved away with his entire family, lived in seclusion on Mount Mao, and called himself Huayang Shanren. On the way he passed through Suzhou, Hangzhou, Muzhou, and Xinzhou, exchanging poems with such local prefects as Wei Yingwu, Fang Rufu, Wei Zan, and Liu Taizhen. He returned to Suzhou in the tenth year of the Zhenyuan era and settled at Mount Mao, while continuing to travel to Huzhou, Yangzhou, Xuanzhou, Jiaxing, Changshu, and other places.[13]

His son was Gu Feixiong, who died in 854; Liu Taizhen was his maternal aunt’s son, born in 725 and dying in 792; Gu Mingjun and Gu Youzhong are listed as lineal descendants.[14]

Literature and art

Gu excelled in songs and poetry, painted landscapes, and was skilled in prose. He held that poetry should engage the passage between order and disorder and the flourishing of royal transformation, rather than merely pursue ornate literary style.[15]

His Thirteen Chapters on Supplementing and Transmitting the Ancient Songs was regarded as a precursor of Bai Juyi’s New Yuefu. His poetry includes many expansive and strange pieces; his song poems are marked by vigorous momentum and often seek effect through startling, unexpected language.[16]

Critical assessments of his poetry diverged. Some placed it above the poetry of Yuan and Bai and found in it something of High-Tang force, while also praising the unusual interest of his yuefu songs; others judged his talent insufficient and his disputation excessive, finding bone but little elegance in his work, calling the diction of the Supplementing the Missing poems incomplete, and even dismissing his songs as simply outside the rules.[17]

When Bai Juyi was fifteen or sixteen, he brought a manuscript to Gu Kuang. After reading it, Gu received him at the gate and declared that literature had seemed to have ended, but had now been recovered in Bai.[18] Gu’s Supplementing the Missing poems were regarded as a precursor of Bai’s New Yuefu; in a classification of poets, Bai was designated the “Master of Broad Moral Instruction,” while Gu was placed in the “ascending hall” rank.[19]

Works

Gu’s works include Huayang ji, Gu Kuang ji, and Huaping. A Ming printed edition of Huayang ji contains two volumes of poetry and fu and one volume of prose. The original twenty-volume Gu Kuang ji was lost; later editors produced a three-volume Gu Huayang ji, and a four-volume Gu Buweng shiji also circulated.[20]

Huaping, in one volume, is lost. The Complete Tang Poems preserves four volumes of his verse, later supplements add four poems and two fragments, and the Complete Tang Prose preserves three volumes of his writings. He also wrote lyrics such as “Zhu Zhi,” and Wang Qixing and Zhang Hong produced Gu Kuang shizhu.[21]

TimelineCBDB

  1. 780 觀察使判官 建中
  2. 787 秘書郎 貞元
  3. 788 秘書省著作佐郎 貞元
  4. 789 州司戶參軍事 貞元

Office recordsCBDB

OfficeFromToEraPosting
觀察使判官780建中浙江東西道
秘書郎787貞元
秘書省著作佐郎788貞元
州司戶參軍事789793貞元饒州
Year unknown3
OfficeEraPosting
大理司直Era unknownUnknown
左班殿直監鹽酒商稅務Era unknown杭州
左班殿直監鹽酒商稅務Era unknown溫州

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
子顧非熊–854
直系後裔顧名俊–
直系後裔顧友忠–
姑表兄弟劉太真725–792

AliasesCBDB

  • 華陽山人 未詳
  • 逋翁 字
  • 顧十二 行第

StatusCBDB

  • 畫家
  • 詩人
  • 文人
  • 工於文

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
白居易欣賞/器重–
白居易受到白居易拜訪–
白居易禮待–
韓滉為韓滉作行狀–
韓滉贈詩、文–
齊映贈詩、文–
柳渾贈詩、文–
房孺復贈詩、文–
韋應物贈詩、文–
李泌贈詩、文–
包佶贈詩、文–
朱放贈詩、文–
劉太真贈詩、文–
李詞贈詩、文–
李範(岐王)贈詩、文–
張登贈詩、文–
文周贈詩、文–
石冰贈詩、文–
張夏贈詩、文–
崔俠贈詩、文–
吳通微贈詩、文–
顧從真贈詩、文–
釋道該贈詩、文–
釋道芬贈詩、文–
李顧贈詩、文–
韋響贈詩、文–
韋清贈詩、文–
韋靑贈詩、文–
蕭元植贈詩、文–
蕭鄲贈詩、文–
獨孤助贈詩、文–
柳氏贈詩、文–
劉安贈詩、文–
丘丹贈詩、文–
某知章贈詩、文–
釋少微贈詩、文–
韋應物收到韋應物的贈詩、文–
韋夏卿收到韋夏卿的贈詩、文–
劉太真收到劉太真的贈詩、文–
釋貫休收到釋貫休的贈詩、文–
釋皎然收到釋皎然的贈詩、文–
張繼收到張繼的贈詩、文–
韓章收到韓章的贈詩、文–
綦毋誠收到綦毋誠的贈詩、文–

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 進士(籠統)

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
畫評
華陽集
諸朝彥過顧況宅賦詩
顧況集

Citations

  1. [1] Name and disputed dates The person is identified as Gu Kuang, but the sources give several different dates: 727–816, 727–815, circa 727–820, and 725–814.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The main person record gives the name Gu Kuang and the dates 727 and 816.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The profile and biographical entries give 727–816, circa 727–820, and 727–815 in different formulations, all for Gu Kuang.
    • WikidataGu Kuang (Q11665204)The entity is labeled Gu Kuang, while its date claims give 725 and 814.
  2. [2] Identity and artistic accomplishment Gu Kuang was a Tang-dynasty poet and man of letters, and he was also known as a painter of landscapes.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The person record identifies the dynasty as Tang and lists painter, poet, man of letters, and skill in prose.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographical entries identify him as a Tang poet and describe his skill in poetry and landscape painting.
  3. [3] Style names and rank Gu Kuang’s zi was Buweng; he used Huayang Shanren and later Bei Weng, and his family rank was twelve.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The alternate-name data gives Huayang Shanren, Buweng, and Gu Shier, identifying Buweng as the zi and Gu Shier as the rank name.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The profile and biographies list Buweng, Huayang Shanren, Bei Weng, and the rank twelve.
    • WikidataGu Kuang (Q11665204)The names data supplies the English forms Buweng and Huayang shanren.
  4. [4] Disputed native place His native place is variously given as Haiyan in Suzhou, Yunyang, or Suzhou more generally, with the corresponding modern locations in Zhejiang and Jiangsu.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The native-place field gives Suzhou.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The profile gives Suzhou, while the biographical entries give Haiyan in Suzhou, Yunyang, and Suzhou with their modern locations.
  5. [5] Presented-scholar examination Gu Kuang passed the presented-scholar examination in the second year of the Zhide era, 757.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The examination entry records the presented-scholar qualification without a specific rank.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)Several biographies state that he passed in the second year of Zhide, with one explicitly giving 757.
  6. [6] Early offices He sought the administration of Xinting Monitorate, served under the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner, worked around Yongjia in 773 and 774, visited Jiangxi in the tenth year of Dali, and handled salt business at Wenzhou during the Dali era.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies detail the Xinting Monitorate, its location at Yanguan/Haiyan, the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner’s office, activity around Yongjia, the visit to Jiangxi, and salt business at Wenzhou.
  7. [7] Salt and commercial-tax office His offices also included the supervision of salt, wine, and commercial taxation in Hangzhou and Wenzhou.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The office data gives the same salt, wine, and commercial-tax supervision post at Hangzhou and Wenzhou.
  8. [8] Military staff and court offices Gu Kuang served in Han Huang’s staff from 781 to 786, then held a judicial office at court; the biographical material also lists the governorship of Runzhou.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies describe his service in Han Huang’s staff from 781 to 786, his post at the Court of Judicial Review, and the office of governor of Runzhou.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The office and association data list the judge post, Dali judicial office, the Jianzhong era, and Han Huang.
  9. [9] Collator and court writer The sources differ between palace-library collator and Secretary Lang, and between court writer and Assistant Writer; the office data dates the latter appointment to 788.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies give the recommendation by Liu Hun as palace-library collator or Secretary Lang and the later promotion under Li Mi as court writer or Assistant Writer.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The office data lists Secretary Lang in 787 and the Secretariat Assistant Writer in 788.
  10. [10] Association with Li Mi and Liu Hun Gu Kuang was associated with Li Mi and Liu Hun, with the material especially emphasizing his closeness to Li Mi.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies describe Gu as close to Li Mi and as having dealings with both Li Mi and Liu Hun.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The association data lists Liu Hun and Li Mi with the exchange of poems and prose.
  11. [11] Study under Li Mi Gu Kuang studied under Li Mi and received from him a method of breath cultivation.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The introductory biography explicitly says that Gu studied under Li Mi and learned his method of breath cultivation.
  12. [12] Demotion to Raozhou After Li Mi’s death, Gu Kuang wrote the Seagull poem to mock the powerful, was opposed and impeached, and was demoted to the Raozhou household-administration post in 789.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies connect Li Mi’s death with the Seagull poem, describe Gu’s unpopularity and impeachment, and give the 789 demotion to Raozhou.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The office data gives the 789 Raozhou post of Zhou Sihu Canjun Shi.
  13. [13] Retirement and travels After his demotion, Gu Kuang moved with his family to Mount Mao, adopted the name Huayang Shanren, exchanged poetry with local officials, returned to Suzhou in the tenth year of Zhenyuan, and traveled widely in Jiangnan.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies describe the family’s departure, seclusion at Mount Mao, the route and poetic exchanges, the return to Suzhou in the tenth year of Zhenyuan, and later Jiangnan travel.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The association data also names Fang Rufu, Wei Yingwu, and Liu Taizhen.
  14. [14] Family relationships Gu Feixiong was Gu Kuang’s son and died in 854; Liu Taizhen was his maternal aunt’s son, born in 725 and dying in 792; Gu Mingjun and Gu Youzhong are listed as lineal descendants.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The kinship data identifies Gu Feixiong as son and gives his death in 854, identifies Gu Mingjun and Gu Youzhong as lineal descendants, and identifies Liu Taizhen as a maternal aunt’s son born in 725 and dead in 792.
  15. [15] Poetic theory and painting Gu Kuang was skilled in poetry, landscape painting, and prose, and held that poetry should address order, disorder, and royal transformation rather than merely seek ornate diction.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The status data lists painter, poet, and skill in prose.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies describe his poetry and landscape painting and state his view that poetry engages order, disorder, and royal transformation rather than mere ornament.
  16. [16] Supplementing the Missing and poetic style The Thirteen Chapters on Supplementing and Transmitting the Ancient Songs was treated as a precursor to Bai Juyi’s New Yuefu, while Gu’s songs were characterized by unusual, vigorous, and startling expression.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The critical biography calls the thirteen chapters a precursor of Bai Juyi’s New Yuefu and describes the poetry as strange, vigorous, and unexpectedly striking.
  17. [17] Divergent critical reception Critical assessments range from praise for Gu Kuang’s superiority to Yuan and Bai and his High-Tang force to criticism of his talent, elegance, diction, and formal discipline.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The critical passages praise Gu’s relation to Yuan and Bai, High-Tang force, and the unusual interest of his songs, but also criticize his talent, elegance, diction, and formal status.
  18. [18] Bai Juyi’s visit Bai Juyi visited Gu Kuang as a teenager with a manuscript; Gu read it, received him at the gate, and praised the recovery of serious literature in Bai.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The association text describes Bai Juyi’s teenage visit with a manuscript, Gu’s reception at the gate, and Gu’s words of praise.
  19. [19] Influence on Bai’s New Yuefu Gu Kuang’s Supplementing the Missing poems were regarded as a precursor of Bai Juyi’s New Yuefu; a poet-ranking scheme placed Bai as Master of Broad Moral Instruction and Gu in the ascending-hall rank.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographical discussion calls the Supplementing the Missing poems a precursor to Bai’s New Yuefu and gives the two poet-ranking designations.
  20. [20] Collections and painting treatise Gu Kuang’s works include Huayang ji, Gu Kuang ji, and Huaping; the Ming edition, the lost twenty-volume collection, the later three-volume compilation, and the four-volume Gu Buweng shiji are all specified in the material.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The work list contains Huaping, Huayang ji, and Gu Kuang ji.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographies give the Ming edition’s contents, the loss of the twenty-volume Gu Kuang ji, the later three-volume Gu Huayang ji, and the four-volume Gu Buweng shiji.
  21. [21] Surviving and reconstructed works Huaping is lost; four volumes of Gu’s verse survive in the Complete Tang Poems, later supplements add four poems and two fragments, the Complete Tang Prose preserves three volumes, and later scholarship includes lyrics and a modern annotation.
    • CBDBGu Kuang (94240)The work list contains Huaping.
    • Souyun顧況 (21659)The biographical entries state that Huaping was lost, count the poems and fragments preserved or supplemented, count the prose, mention Zhu Zhi lyrics, and name the Gu Kuang annotation.