Michael Wood talks to

Acclaimed historian and filmmaker Michael Wood looks at the life and times of one of the world’s greatest poets, Du Fu, in the festival’s annual Felicity Bryan Tribute Conversation.

The 8th-century poet’s life and writing came during a period of famine, war and huge upheaval, and his secular vision and empathy for common people of China ensured his place as China’s greatest poet. His poetry has a timeless relevance in the same way as that of Shakespeare and Dante. Wood describes how he followed in the poet’s footsteps to try to understand what inspired his verse and to investigate the themes of friendship, family and human suffering.

‘Wood’s account is beautifully written and thoroughly researched, as he travels to the setting for each stage of Du’s long but difficult life, talking to the scholars and the ordinary people he meets along his way’ John Simpson BBC global affairs editor

Wood has made more than 100 documentaries and written several bestselling books including In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great and The Story of China.
Felicity Bryan founded the Oxford independent literary agency, Felicity Bryan Associates, in 1988. Bryan died in 2020. She was a popular figure in literary circles and a great supporter of the Oxford Literary Festival.