Li Qingzhao

Li Qingzhao

Li Qingzhao (1084-1155) was a renowned female ci poet of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), known for her delicate style. She was widely regarded as the "preeminent female talent of all time". Born into a scholarly family, Li was given a solid literary foundation during her childhood. After marrying Zhao Mingcheng, she led a happy life and devoted herself to the collection and arrangement of calligraphy, painting, and inscriptions. During this period her works were lively and optimistic, often depicting carefree girlhood and the longing for her husband after they were separated. Her writings fully expressed the rich emotions of women in the boudoir. Later, due to war and turmoil, she was forced to flee to the south. After her husband's death and the fall of her homeland, Li Qingzhao's life was filled with hardship and loneliness. Her works turned melancholic and poignant, reflecting her deep emotions and the sorrows of her time.

Li's poetry exhibits a unique blend of delicacy and strength, tenderness and determination, and lofty aspirations that transcend the traditional constraints imposed upon female poets. She stood out as an exemplar of independent and self-assured female poets in ancient Chinese literature.

李清照

李清照（1084—1155），北宋著名女詞人，婉約派代表，有“千古第一才女”之稱。李清照出身書香門第，兒時在良好的家庭環境中打下扎實的文學基礎。她婚后與丈夫趙明誠共同致力于書畫金石的搜集整理，生活美滿。這一時期，她的作品熱情活潑，明快天真，多寫無憂無慮的少女生活、婚后對丈夫的離別相思等，充分表現了閨閣女性的豐富感情。后來，在因戰亂流落南方后，她因丈夫去世、國破家亡而顛沛流離、孤獨無依，在詞作中多表現為纏綿凄苦，深沉傷感。

李清照的詞既有婉約溫馨，又有剛強健舉，還有高遠飛揚，突破了傳統女性詞作的風格桎梏，成為中國古代文學史上獨立自主的女性詩詞人代表。