The 2 principles of Zhiren lunshi (learning about poets by understanding the era in which they live) and Yiyi nizhi (inferring the author's intention of a poem based on the reader's personal impressions) in the Mencius are crucial to traditional classical poetics. However, few studies regarding Du Fu's poems have explored the relationship between these 2 principles and the interpretation of Du Fu's poetry. Thus, this study is conducted to fill this gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between the 2 principles (i. e., Zhiren lunshi and Yiyi nizhi in the Mencius) and the interpretation of Du Fu's poetry by identifying the application and implementation of these 2 principles when interpreting these poems. Scholars in ancient China typically interpreted Du Fu's poems according to the principles of Zhiren lunshi and Yiyi nizhi. Because Du Fu's poems involve narratives of social events, they can be used to compose historical chronicles and compile Du Fu's biographical chronology. Through the chronicles based on Du Fu's poetry and Du Fu's biographical chronology, readers can understand the era in which he lived and learn the background context of this ancient period. Subsequently, applying Zhiren lunshi provides comprehensive information for interpreting Du Fu's poems. In addition, although readers intend to interpret the sentiments and themes of Du Fu' poems based on their own perspectives, they must also surmise and conform to his theory of poetry, which he emphasized in his poems. Implementing the concept of Yiyi nizhi requires this type of interpretation and conjecture. In summary, composing chronicles based on Du Fu's poems and his biographical chronology concretely apply the principle of Zhiren lunshi, and interpreting Du Fu's poems and exploring his theory of poetry provides a newmanner of applying Yiyi nizhi.