Origins & Early Life

Bao Zhao (Chinese: 鮑照; c. 414 – September 466) was a Chinese poet, writer, and official during the Liu Song dynasty (420–479) known for his shi poetry, fu rhapsodies, and parallel prose. Bao's best known surviving work is his "Fu on the Ruined City" (Wú chéng fù 蕪城賦), a long fu rhapsody on the ruined city of Guangling (now Yangzhou). Bao Zhao, courtesy name Mingyuan (明遠), was born around AD 414.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was probably born in the town of Jingkou (modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province), though some sources say he was born in Shangdang (modern Zhangzi County, Shanxi Province) or Xuzhou (modern Tancheng County, Shandong Province). Bao's younger sister Bao Linghui was also a poet, and seven of her poems have survived. Little is known of Bao's early life. He was born into a scholar-class family whose fortunes had declined. He was probably a farmer as a young man before beginning his career as an official on the staffs of local princes of the Liu Song dynasty.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Beginning in about 438, Bao served as an attendant gentleman (shìláng 侍郎) to Liu Yiqing (劉義慶), the prince of Linchuan. In the early 440s, Liu served as governor of Jiangzhou (roughly corresponding to modern Jiangxi...

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