Sima Xiangru

Sima Xiangru (pronounced [sɹ̩́mà ɕjáŋɻǔ], c. 179 – 117 BC), originally named Sima Quanzi (Chinese: 司馬犬子), courtesy name Zhangqing (長卿), was a Chinese musician, poet, and politician of the Western Han dynasty. Sima is a significant figure in the history of Classical Chinese poetry, and is generally regarded as the greatest of all composers of Chinese fu rhapsodies. His poetry includes his invention or at least development of the fu form, applying new metrical rhythms to the lines of poetry, which he mixed with lines of prose, and provided with several of what would in ensuing centuries become among a group of common set topics for this genre. Sima Xiangru was also versatile enough to write in the Chu ci style, while it was enjoying a renaissance, and he also wrote lyrics in what would become known as the yuefu formal style.