Song dynasty poet, essayist, calligrapher and official, exiled several times for his views. Chinese know his Mid-Autumn poem 水调歌头 and the braised pork named after him, 东坡肉.
The name 'Su Shi' reflects his father's hope that he would have a useful and upright character, like the front rail of a carriage which provides support and guidance.
东坡 'East Slope' was the plot of land he farmed in exile at Huangzhou. His poem on Mount Lu gave Chinese 庐山真面目, 'Mount Lu's true face', for the real nature of something, which you miss 只缘身在此山中, 'only because you are on the mountain yourself'.
