（摘自百科）
唐朝是中国历史上公认的最强盛的朝代之一，也是历史上唯一未修建长城的大一统中原王朝。唐朝在经历了唐高宗、武则天几代的经营之后，唐朝在唐玄宗在位期间，迎来了万邦来朝的盛世，天宝末期，全国人口达八千万左右，两京长安、洛阳人口都超过十万户。大唐承平日久，国家无事，统治者逐步丧失向上求治的精神，志得意满，开始享乐，民众也开始习惯了这盛世的靡靡之音，竟不知兵戈为何物，以为这盛世会一直持续下去，然而谁又能料到，随后发生的安史之乱，竟让他们中的大多数人丢掉了性命
据史料记载：安史之乱前，唐玄宗天宝十三年（754年），户数达962万户，口数达5288万，为官方户口统计的峰值。经过安史之乱后，唐代宗广德二年（764年），官方统计的户数仅剩293万（人口大约为1600万左右），直接人口损失达到惊人的3600万，70%的人在这场战争中”消失“
李白、杜甫都是生在盛唐，死在安史之乱平定前后，他们像每个大唐子民一样，一生经历了时代巨变，从享受盛世的荣光到遭遇乱世的无能为力，最终凋零在这场战乱之中
(summarized from an encyclopedia)
The Tang Dynasty is recognized as one of the most prosperous dynasties in Chinese history, and it is the only unified dynasty in the Central Plains that did not build the Great Wall. After the management of several generations, including Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian, the Tang Dynasty reached its zenith during Emperor Xuanzong's reign, with a flourishing era that saw envoys from thousands of nations. By the end of the Tianbao period, the national population reached about 80 million, with both Chang'an and Luoyang having populations exceeding one hundred thousand households. As the Great Tang enjoyed a long period of peace, the nation was untroubled, the rulers gradually lost their upward ambition, and people began to indulge in pleasures. The public also became accustomed to the luxurious sounds of this golden age, ignorant of what warfare was, thinking that this prosperity would continue forever. However, who could have foreseen that the subsequent Anshi Rebellion would cost most of them their lives?
According to historical records, before the Anshi Rebellion, in the thirteenth year of Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao reign (754 AD), the number of households reached 9.62 million, with a population of 52.88 million, the peak value of official household statistics. After the Anshi Rebellion, in the second year of Emperor Daizong's Guangde reign (764 AD), the official statistics of households were only 2.93 million (with a population of about 16 million), resulting in a direct population loss of a staggering 36 million; 70% of people "disappeared" in this war.
Li Bai and Du Fu were both born in the flourishing Tang Dynasty and died around the time the Anshi Rebellion was quelled. Like every citizen of the Great Tang, they experienced tremendous changes in their lifetimes, from enjoying the glory of a golden era to feeling helpless in a chaotic period, ultimately perishing in the turmoil of war.