In the footsteps of Li Bai
Shot for National Geographic China, In the Footsteps of Li Bai is an exploration revisiting the celebrated poet Li Bai’s wanderings up the Yangtze River. Li Bai was born during the Tang Dynasty, a period considered the height of classical Chinese culture. The son of a Chinese merchant who ran a successful business along the ancient Silk Road, Li Bai lived a life that has defied repeated attempts to classify him. From humble beginnings as a wandering scholar and swordsman, to occasional family man, to venerated court translator for the Emperor Xuanzong, to banished imperial exile, Li Bai lived a life of spontaneity during a time when societal conventions and pressures were strictly enforced and adhered to.
He is perhaps best known for his effortless poetry, whose subjects ranged from observations of daily life in Tang-era China, to his legendary love for wine, to poignant moments of self-reflection.
Li Bai left home at the age of 24 and traveled along the Yangtze River Basin, marking the beginning of his legendary wanderings, which would last until he died. This photo series chronicles the many towns and landmarks along the Yangtze where Li Bai once set foot and found his inspiration, and shows the Chinese people’s complex relationship with a river that has seen so much change, yet in many ways has still remained the same through the 1300 years since Li Bai first gazed upon its ruddy waters.
