Where and when Li Po born?
Li Po was born in what is now Sichuan Province. At 19 he left
home and lived with a Taoist hermit. After a time of wandering, he
married and lived with his wife's family. Then he lived briefly as
a poet at the Tang court in Chang'an. He decided to return to a
life of Taoist study and poetry writing. During his wanderings in
744 he met Tu Fu, another famous poet of the period. In 756, Li Po
became an un official poet laureate to Prince Lin. The prince was
soon accused of intending to set up an independent kingdom and was
executed. Li Po was arrested and imprisoned, but a high official
looked into Li Po's case. The high official had Li Po released and
made him a staff secretary. In the summer of 758, the charges were
revived. Li Po was banished to Yeh-lang. Li Po frequently
celebrated the joy of drinking. According to legend, Li Po drowned
while drunkenly leaning from a boat to embrace the moon's
reflection on the water. Most scholars believe he died from
cirrhosis of the liver or from mercury poisoning due to Taoist
longevity elixirs.