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Today, the verses of eighth-century poet Li Bai, also known as Li Po, are an inextricable part of the Chinese language, taught to China’s schoolchildren, recited at parties, and called upon in toasts. In his lifetime during the Tang dynasty, his lines rang out from the lips of everyone from court entertainers to tavern singers, soldiers to writers. And yet, despite the ubiquity of his name and legacy, the life of the poet himself is shrouded in legend.  

Relying on the scarce records of his existence, internationally bestselling author Ha Jin peels back the centuries to journey through Li’s lifetime in The Banished Immortal. From the poet’s days as a student with a penchant for Daoist texts to his life-long interests in swordsmanship and celestial bodies, to his excessive drinking, rumors of manslaughter, and the numerous myths about is death—Ha Jin sheds new light on the poet whose work transcends time.