On the Official Career of the Poets in the Han Dynasty

The official career of the poets in the Han Dynasty mostly differed from that of the ordinary officials. They usually started their official career by way of being recruited by the emperor himself or by other officials, or being recommended by other individuals or submitting memorials to the emperor themselves. In the officialdom most of them were engaged in editing or commenting on literary works, composing poems at the emperor's order, or acted as counselors on cultural events. Their official career was more or less decided by their identity as poets, while their poetry was influenced by their official career. The two of them supplemented each other.