Zhang Wentao (Chang Wen-t'ao) 1764-1814

Qing-dynasty poet. Born in Shandong, Zhang passed the jinshi examination in 1790 and was appointed by the Hanlin Academy. As an official, he acquired a reputation for outspokenness, but appeared to have led a successful career. As a poet, he advocated expressiveness over imitation and in this regard is close to Yuan Mei. According to one commentator, Zhang Wentao's poetry "reflects the richness and complexity of his world".

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