Tao Yuanming

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tao-yuanming

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Tao Yuanming born?Circa 365 AD
2. When did Tao Yuanming die?Circa 427 AD
3. Where was Tao Yuanming born?Near present-day Luling, Jiangxi province, China
4. What made Tao Yuanming decide to leave his job as a magistrate?He felt the job was unfair and too small, and he wanted to live simply on his farm.
5. Why is Tao Yuanming known for writing about farmers and nature?Because he loved farming and nature, and he wrote poems that showed how peaceful and happy life on a farm can be.

Agrarianism: A social philosophy that promotes the importance of agriculture and rural life over urban or industrial pursuits.
Utopian Literature: Works of fiction that describe an ideal or perfect society, often serving as a critique of contemporary social or political conditions.
Pastoral Tradition: A literary genre that idealizes rural life, shepherds, and the natural world, often contrasting it with the complexities of urban society.