杜甫(712~770),字子美,自称少陵野老,杜陵布衣,祖籍襄阳(今湖北襄樊),曾祖时,迁居巩县(今河南巩县东北).他经历了唐朝由盛而衰的转变时期,一生颠沛流漓,宦场失意.大历三年冬(768),他经今湖北省入湖南省岳州,写有"泊岳阳城下","夜闻�v篥","登岳阳楼","岁晏行","览船苦风,戏题四韵,奉简郑十三判官泛";次年春,由临湘白马矶的白马潭启程去潭州,衡州,一路上走走停停,在岳州境内写有"发白马潭","陪裴使君登岳阳楼","南征","过南岳入洞庭湖","过洞庭湖","宿青草湖","宿白沙驿","湘夫人祠","祠南夕望","上水遣怀";大历五年冬,从衡州,潭州北返,因贫病不堪,从湘江入汨罗江去平江求友救助,病死汨罗江,葬于平江县小田村天井湖.病死前,在汨罗江上写有绝笔诗:"风疾舟中,伏枕书怀三十六韵,奉呈湖南亲友".在岳州所写之诗名篇力作甚多,有"老树着花"之誉,其中以"登岳阳楼"影响最大:"昔闻洞庭水,今上岳阳楼.吴楚东南坼,乾坤日夜浮.亲朋无一字,老病有孤舟.戎马关山北,凭轩泪泗流."此诗千古传颂不衰,历年被选为中学语文教材.岳阳人民为缅怀忧国忧民的诗圣,特在他诞辰1250周年时,在岳阳楼下修建怀甫亭,亭匾由朱德题写,石碑刻有杜甫画像和"登岳阳楼"诗.