The Tang Dynasty is known for some famous poets, one of whom is Du Fu (712-770). 1 a young man, he traveled a lot and showed a great interest in many different things, such as paintings, music, and of course poetry-writing 2 (include). But during his lifetime he never 3 (become) famous; in fact, he thought of himself as a 4 (fail). It was only in the 11th century 5 his poetic genius was recognized. Nowadays he 3 (call) “the mirror of his time” because he paints a realistic picture of the problems of his age. These include the sufferings of the poor, the corruption of the rich, and the unfairness of the society at that time.
Another famous poet, Li Bai, grew up in Sichuan. As he was not so 7 (success) as some of the other young men of his time in the Civil Service Examination, he began a life of travel and poetry, 8 (produce) more than a thousand poems. Nature, friendship, the human condition, and the pleasures of wine are his favorite 9 (subject). It is said that he drowned 10 trying to take hold of the reflection of the moon in the river.
