Ink & Blood: Poetry and Power in the Lives of Emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao

This nonfiction graphic novel epic interweaves the tale of a 10th-century Chinese emperor and Chairman Mao Zedong, two men whose love of poetry shaped their political lives in surprising ways.

Emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao Zedong: a ruler who wished to be a poet, and a poet who wished to rule. In this gorgeous, meditative epic, writer Chun Yu and artist Sungyoon Choi explore the parallel lives of these two Chinese leaders, separated by a thousand years of tumultuous history. How did one man’s love of poetry help cause the downfall of an entire dynasty? How did another’s help contribute to his rise to power? And how can their stories shed light on the political and cultural landscape of a country as expansive, complex, and enduring as China?

Through the lens of poetry, Ink & Blood bridges and contextualizes centuries of Chinese history. In the process, it provides readers with a greater understanding of one of the world’s most influential countries and, most importantly, the generations of people that have called it home.