We all learn the poems (诗) of Li Bai, one of China’s greatest poets in Tang Dynasty. But is that all about him? Cartoon movie Chang An shows us something different.

One day, Li Bai was looking for his horse. A young boy Gao Shi helped him. They soon became good friends. Li Bai wanted to become an officer (官员), so he tried to get to know the important people in Chang’an. But unluckily, he couldn’t take the exam of being officers because he was born in a business family. He was very angry. _________ He kept on writing poems. Then he became popular in Chang’an. But the officers hated him. So he worked as a Taoist Order (道士). Years later, Gao Shi became a leader in the army (军队). However, Li Bai did something wrong and had to leave Chang’an. Gao Shi helped and saved him again.

In the movie, Li drank a lot. He was interested in having parties and money. Sometimes he didn’t keep promises to Gao Shi. The movie’s co-director Xie Junwei said, “Li Bai was not all good…but that is more real.” He never made his dreams come true. But his poems stay with us.

Zheng He, the Columbus of the East, was an amazing man. He was born in 1371 and, 11 years later, was caught by the army of a rich young man called Zhu Di and made to work for him. Over time the rich man saw that Zheng He was very clever and strong and they became close friends. In 1403, Zhu Di was made the King of China and he asked Zheng He to join his new government.

The King wanted to learn more about the world and show other countries his power. He ordered many new ships to be built and made Zheng He their leader. Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He led seven sea trips to different parts of the world. He certainly travelled to India, Africa and the Middle East. A few people think his ships may have even reached South America and Australia.

Each trip lasted between two and four years and it is believed he sailed more than 50,000 km during the years of his travels. With 28,000 men and over 300 ships, such as boats for food, water and even soldiers’ horses.

On these trips he brought with him many Chinese goods like silk and medicine to give to foreign kings or to sell for local goods. He returned from each trip with boats filled with expensive things such as gold and jewelry, foreign guests and strange animals like a giraffe.

It is a pity that we may never learn everything about Zheng He’s travels. After he died in 1433, the new king, who believed these trips were unlucky and too expensive, had them stopped and he burned almost all the books about Zheng He’s travels. It is only in the last 50 years that historians have begun to carefully study the adventures of the great Zheng He.

Happy Rain on a Spring Night

Du Fu

— Translated by Xu Yuanchong

This famous poem, with four couplets, was written by Du Fu（712—770, Tang Dynasty）. His farming experience taught him to be thankful to nature.

The very first word, “good”, shows the poet’s joy and love for the spring rain. The rain is good because it “knows” the proper time to come. Here the poet uses personification （拟人手法）, as if the rain were smart enough to come in time for the farmer’s busy season.

When the rain comes, it appears during the night without making any noise. Unlike the summer storms, the spring rain finishes its task without being known.

In the third couplet, the poet describes a peaceful scene to us. In the night sky, the clouds look dark and heavy. It’s a sign that there will be enough rain during the night. The light from the riverboat makes the dark scene a bit livelier.

Lastly, the poet starts to imagine. Tomorrow morning, he thinks, the city will become beautiful when all of the flowers bloom（盛开）after the rain.