This dissertation studies Li Shangyin's poetry with the method of Zhenren Lunshi (understanding or criticizing an author by comprehending the author's background and time) combined with Yiyi Nizhi (applying an author's intention to infer the author's will). Compared with the method proposed by scholars in the past, it is only limited to the poet's background and life. It did not thoroughly and comprehensively consider the factors and influences of various aspects. This dissertation expands the scope of Lunshi (the author's background and time). It covers "textual meaning," "historical background," "official position and income," "folk customs," and "behavioral psychology ."The so-called "textual meaning" not only analyzes the connotation of the text and the meaning of the words but also profoundly explores the meaning behind the stories contained in the text, understands the intentional connotation of the allusions, and the author's writing habits, and so on, beyond the depth of the literal meaning, to truly understand the meaning of the text. The "historical background" and "official positions and income" cover the historical, economic, and political aspects. Through the Tang Dynasty's official system and the income difference between the staff of shogunates and Central Government officials, we can understand the connotation of the historical background and the economy. "Folk customs" is to understand the customs, culture, and geographical environment of the Tang Dynasty. Finally, by observing clinical psychology, we can penetrate the thinking and Li Shangyin’s psychological state, thus impacting his poetry.
Through the method mentioned above, this dissertation proves that Li Shangyin's career was typical and that there was no such thing as a "desolate life experience" caused by being excluded and suppressed, thus ending up in the shogunates. Instead, Li's tenures in a series of shogunates were probably his voluntary choice of economic factors. Furthermore, this study thoroughly analyzes the three classic poems Holy Maiden Temple and Three Poems in Bicheng, which many scholars previously and falsely identified as classics of showing Li's love stories with female Taoists. The result of the study proves otherwise that Li Shangyin and the female Taoists indeed did not have an extraordinary love life. This dissertation effectively concludes that in interpreting Li Shangyin's obscure poems, it should not be preconceived that the lyrics must be related to Li Shangyin's poor career or unspeakable love for the female Taoists. Only in this way can we begin to find Li Shangyin's "true will" in his poetry. Similarly, this study reinterprets Li Shangyin's other poems, including Jinse, Untitled Two Poems (Zouye Xingchen, Wen Dao Changmen), and Untitled Two Poem (Fengwei Xiangluo, Chongwei Shenxia), and A Poems at Zhongyuan Festival.