About Saadi
Saadi was a Persian-language poet and storyteller associated with Shiraz, in present-day Iran. He wrote in the thirteenth century. Much of his life remains uncertain: the journeys and encounters in his writing cannot always be treated as verifiable memories.
Two of his books provide firm dates: the Bustan, completed in 1257, and the Gulistan, in 1258. The latter brings short narratives together with passages of poetry.
Saadi’s characters include rulers, travellers, teachers and pupils. Through their words and actions, he explores power, justice, education and the ways people treat each other. A concrete situation, sometimes told with humour, becomes a way to examine an idea.