Chen Sanli
| Chen Sanli 陳三立 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
23 October 1853 Xiushui, Jiangxi, Qing Dynasty |
| Died |
14 September 1937 Beiping, Republic of China |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Parent(s) | Chen Baozhen |
| Relatives |
Chen Yinke (son) Chen Shizeng (son) |
Chen Sanli (1859 -1937) was a Chinese poet of the early modern era. Along with Zheng Xiaoxu and Shen Zengzhi, he was one of prominent leaders of the Tongguang school, which promoted a Song poetry style. From 1889 he served as a civil servant, and with his father Chen Baozhen, he led local reform in Hunan. After the Coup of 1898, he was forced to leave the government, and move to Nanchang with his father. After Xinhai Revolution, he became an adherent, still loyal to the Qing Dynasty. And after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, he committed suicide by starvation.
Chen Yan, the main poetry critic of Tongguang school, characterized Chen Sanli's poems as "obscure and profound" (生涩奥衍). Chen mainly learned from the Northern Song poet Huang Tingjian, and promoted his style—obscure but nature. Many of Chen's poems took care of the chaos which Chinese people suffered during the early 20th century.