Li Bo, << lee bwoh >> (701-762), was one of China’s greatest poets. There are several other spellings of his name, but the most common are Li Po and Li Bai. Li Bo’s poetry is admired for its eloquence, wit, humor, and romantic descriptions of nature, especially of the moon. Li Bo also wrote poems praising the virtues of wine. He composed many poems at banquets and special occasions to entertain his friends and patrons. He believed his most important works were his poems on ethics and morality.
Li Bo was probably born in what is now Kyrgyzstan, west of China. His family originally came from China, and they returned to the country when Li Bo was 5 years old. From 725 until his death, Li Bo traveled throughout China, supporting himself by writing poems and documents for wealthy people.
