A ruler who became an immortal poet. A poet who rose to rule a nation.

This nonfiction graphic novel epic traces the parallel lives of two Chinese leaders—Southern Tang emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao Zedong—and explores how poetry can shape the fate of nations.

How did one man’s devotion to verse hasten the fall of a dynasty? How did another’s poetry help propel him to power? And what do their stories, separated by a thousand years yet profoundly intertwined, reveal about the relationship between art and authority in a civilization as vast, complex, and enduring as China?

Through the intimate lens of poetry, Ink & Blood bridges centuries of Chinese history, illuminating the human cost of leadership and the lasting influence of art on politics. 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 who have called it home.