Du Long
DuLong
Du Long
I was born in 743 CE during the age of the Tang dynasty. Some say, “this is the time to be alive!”, this is the Golden Age after all. A little bit about myself - I grew up as a member of the wealthy sphere. My father, the legendary Du Fu, is one of the best Chinese poets to have ever lived. As a result of his success, I was fortunate enough to have visited royal palaces with the Li family, the founders of the Tang dynasty, my father’s primary customer. My father’s fortune allowed me to receive an elite education, attending one of the top schools in our capital, Chang’an.
I didn’t get to do a lot of traveling outside of Chang’an when I was younger because my dad was always busy and I couldn’t travel outside of the city walls alone. But, no matter, don’t think I didn’t have any fun because I sure did. Chang’an is HUGE!! Its 84 km squared border is filled with over 1 million people, making it the largest city in the world - quite the playground if you ask me. Though, now that I am older, I have traveled all across China, exploring our vast lands. But, through all of my travels, no other city has compared to Chang’an in regards to size and success.
My favorite place to visit in Chang’an is the Dayan Pagoda, one of our many Buddhist temples. It is a peaceful place to pray and collect my thoughts. The only issue with the city is that nobody can seem to find a map, but I never get lost. Hopefully that issue gets resolved in the future for all those tourists...
The reason I have returned to my home is to care for my ill father. I’ve decided to take a hiatus from my travels in order to follow in my grandfather’s (Du Xian) footsteps and apply to work for the government. If I pass the Civil Service Exam I will be able stay here in Chang’an and work for the government, which is now controlled by the Li Dynasty. That’s all for now, for I must go study.