Pathway to Japanese Literature
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The Hermit of Mount MinAuthor: Kunieda Shiro
| Original Title | 岷山の隠士 |
|---|---|
| Author | 国枝 史郎 |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the mist-shrouded mountains of ancient China, a boy named Li Bai emerges as a luminous enigma—a child prodigy whose verses astonish local magistrates and hint at a destiny intertwined with both brilliance and rebellion. From composing defiant poetry as a dirt-smeared cowherd to outshining scholars with his wit, Li Bai’s early years foreshadow a life unbound by convention. Seeking refuge with a eccentric Taoist hermit who preaches to birds and mocks philosophical pretensions, he cultivates a spirit as untamed as the wilderness around him. \nAs Li Bai’s fame grows, so does his audacity: he dazzles emperors with literary prowess, humiliates foreign envoys with biting diplomacy, and carouses with poets and rebels alike. Yet courtly intrigues and ill-advised alliances cast him into exile, where wanderings through moonlit rivers and misty peaks blur the line between mortal and myth. His final act—a drunken reach for the moon’s reflection—cements his legend, leaving readers to wonder: did the poet drown in folly or ascend to immortality? \nA tale of genius and hubris, where calligraphy brushes duel with swords and every cup of wine holds both ecstasy and peril. |
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