TU FU: A Chinese poet of the T'ANG DYNASTY (618-906). Tu Fu (712-770) had a turbulent life as a civil servant in the court of the emperor Hsuan Tsung, and even spent a year in prison after the emperor was deposed in the An Lu-shan Revolt of 756. Although Tu Fu later returned to the imperial court, he was asked to resign over a disagreement with the new emperor. He spent his final years in utter poverty, writing his poetry as he wandered along the banks of the YANGTZE RIVER. It was only after his death that he was recognized as one of CHINA's greatest poets. (See also China article).
