 A second favourite epithet of Chinese critics is that of " poet sage " ( 詩聖 shī shèng ) , a counterpart to the philosophical sage , Confucius . One of the earliest surviving works , The Song of the Wagons ( from around 750 ) , gives voice to the sufferings of a conscript soldier in the imperial army and a clear @-@ sighted consciousness of suffering . These concerns are continuously articulated in poems on the lives of both soldiers and civilians produced by Du Fu throughout his life . 
 A second favourite epithet of Chinese critics <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>that of " poet sage " ( 詩聖 shī shèng ) , a counterpart to the philosophical sage , Confucius . One of the earliest surviving works , The Song of the Wagons ( from around 750 ) , <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>gives</mark></a> voice to the sufferings of a conscript soldier in the imperial army and a clear @-@ sighted consciousness of suffering . These concerns are continuously articulated in poems on the lives of both soldiers and civilians produced by Du Fu throughout his life . 
A second favourite epithet of Chinese critics that of " poet sage " ( 詩聖 shī shèng ) , a counterpart to the philosophical sage , Confucius . One of da earliest surviving works , The Song of tdaWagons ( from around 750 ) , give voice to the sufferings of a conscript soldier in thdamperial army and a clear @-@ sighted consciousness of suffering . These concerns are continuously articulated in poems on thedaves of both soldiers and civilians produced by Du Fu throughout his life .