Lu Jianrong 
Elegant Life of Tang and Song Dynasty Literati [EPUB ebook] 
Decoding the True Lives of Literary Masters Through Their Pleasures and Tastes

The Tang and Song dynasties represent the pinnacle of cultural development in ancient Chinese society, where the scholar-official class played a crucial role in leading cultural trends. In terms of leisure life, many resided in exquisite gardens; banquets, farewell drinks, and composing poetry while drinking were the basic leisure activities for officials-this made Chinese restaurants appear eight hundred years earlier than their Western counterparts. Among the high-ranking officials and scholar-officials, there were those who spared no expense in pursuing the finest peonies as a ‘refined hobby.’ What profound implications and life trajectories lie behind this elegant lifestyle? The author uses a fresh perspective, starting with the literary masterpieces of Tang and Song literary figures, to decipher the hidden meanings behind the indulgences of the scholar-officials, opening up a new landscape for historical and cultural research.