Ruan Ji (Juan Chi) 210-263
Wei-dynasty poet. His father—the poet Ruan Yu—died when he was only four so he grew up in impoverished circumstances. He served as an official but did not play an active part in political life. Instead, he preoccupied himself with philosophy and religion. His fame rests upon his 82 pentameter poems bearing the title Yonghuai shi [Poems from my heart] and written in a unique style. Ruan Ji also left 6 fu, various essays and a long prose work, Daren xiansheng zhuan [Biography of Master Great Man]. He is also remembered as being one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove".
Works available in English:
Four Introspective Poets: A Concordance to Selected Poems by Roan Jyi,
Chern Tzyy-arng, Jang Jeouling, and Lii Bor (Victor H. Mair). Tempe, Ariz.:
Center for Asian Studies, Arizona State University, 1987.
Songs of My Heart: The Chinese Lyric Poetry of Ruan Ji (Graham Hartill & Wu
Fusheng). London: Wellsweep, 1988.
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