Sima Xiangru was a Chinese musician, poet, and politician who lived during the Western Han dynasty.
18 Facts About Sima Xiangru
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Sima Xiangru's poetry includes his invention or at least development of the fu form, applying new metrical rhythms to the lines of poetry, which he mixed with lines of prose, and provided with several of what would in ensuing centuries become among a group of common set topics for this genre.
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Sima Xiangru was versatile enough to write in the Chu ci style, while it was enjoying a renaissance, and he wrote lyrics in what would become known as the yuefu formal style.
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Sima Xiangru was born in the commandery of Shu in the early 2nd century BC.
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Around 150BC, while in his twenties, Sima Xiangru left his home in Shu and traveled to the imperial capital Chang'an.
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Sima Xiangru received a court appointment "by virtue of property", meaning he possessed at least 40,000 copper cash.
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Sima Xiangru was made a mounted military attendant to Emperor Jing of Han, which was a low-ranking position but allowed Sima to accompany the emperor and the court on imperial excursions.
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In 149BC, Sima Xiangru moved to Liang to become a guest scholar at the court of Liu Wu, Prince of Liang, Emperor Jing's younger brother.
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Sima Xiangru stayed in Liang until Prince Liu Wu's death in 143BC, after which he returned to his home area of Shu.
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Sima Xiangru's fortunes improved when he was taken on as a protege of Wang Ji, the magistrate of Linqiong.
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In 137BC, Sima Xiangru was summoned to Chang'an by the young Emperor Wu of Han.
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Sima Xiangru served Emperor Wu by composing fu for special court occasions, though none of these have survived to modern times.
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Around 131BC, Sima Xiangru traveled to Shu on an imperial mission to mediate a dispute between the local population and the area's oppressive governor, after which the emperor promoted him to General of the Gentlemen of the Household, a fairly high-ranking position at the imperial court.
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Sometime later, Sima Xiangru was accused of taking bribes while on the mission, and was summarily dismissed from his position.
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Around 120BC, Sima Xiangru accepted an appointment as director of Emperor Wen of Han's funerary park, though the position was probably a sinecure.
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Around 119BC, Sima Xiangru resigned this position due to increasing illness, and retired to Maoling, a town where Emperor Wu had members of wealthy and influential families live so he could surveil them.
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In 117BC, word reached the imperial court that Sima Xiangru was dying, and Emperor Wu dispatched an official to visit his home and collect his writings to preserve them.
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Besides being an important poet of the Han dynasty, Sima Xiangru has influenced later art and artists.