Throughout human history, our beliefs have influenced our actions. This is why we have studies like the humanities. During the Tang Dynasty, the different religions that developed during this period had a huge influence on the production of that era. In terms of literature, poets like Wang Wei, Li Bai, Du Fu and Bo Juyi expressed their religion through their poetry during the Tang era. Although it was not always directly mentioned in their poetry, there are connections between the works of Tang dynasty poets and their respective religions. Wang Wei (699-761 CE) was a Buddhist poet born into the upper class of Shanxi. He succeeded in the Chin-Shi system – a system designed to challenge government and bureaucratic officials in all areas of knowledge, from poetry and art to academia. However, Wei was exiled due to a loss of popularity during his career. This is when he truly embraced the role of a poet and became phenomenal at his craft. His exile was caused by a misunderstanding during the An Lushan Rebellion in 775 CE (Davis et al. 1169). Wei was imprisoned by the state because they believed he was part of the rebellion. Surprisingly, it was thanks to his poetry that he emerged from this imprisonment. He wrote two poems during his imprisonment proclaiming his faith in the emperor, which restored faith at court. You have to be pretty remarkable to get out of prison thanks to poetry! Wei truly enjoyed his stay during the aforementioned exile as it gave him time to take an interest in nature and his serene estate along the Wang River. He found peace in nature, where, in the city of Chang'an, he had to take care of all matters related to the functioning of government and bureaucracy... middle of paper... ...he can totally be himself without being judged. He feels more comfortable away from everyone. The message, for me, in this poem is to express yourself without regret. The theme that strikes me is the desire to be like a hermit. You can tell this was written in the Chinese classical period because of the emphasis on separating the artist from the concerns of everyday society. . Ed. compact. Ed. Paul Davis et al. Beford: Boston, 2009. Print. 1163—1183. Wen, Haiming. “Chinese Buddhism in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.” China Today 60.12 (2011): 76-77. Academic research completed. Internet. December 16, 2013. Richey, Jeffrey L. Teaching Confucianism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Electronic Book Collection (EBSCOhost). Internet. December 16. 2013.