Ruan Ji was from Chenliu - the now He'nan Province. He had nourished a high ambition when young. Resentful of the Sima clique, who had usurped the state power of the Kingdom of Wei, he became an ardent advocate of the doctrines of Laozi and Zhuangzi.

He was known in his lifetime for his familiarity with Taoist Lore and his adroit defiance of the authorities, resulting in forming the "Pure Conversation" or "Philosophical Discourses". These were usually held in a bamboo grove outside the capital of Lo-yang, accompanied with much drinking. The seven main participants became known as "The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove".

His poetry, with its pessimistic colouring and oblique style, reflects the dark reality, expresses his inner conflicts and in some way criticizes the hypocritic feudal ethics. He had played an important role in the development of the poetic form of pentasyllabic lines. He was really a rebel under the mask of eccentricity.

Ruan Ji was one of the most famous poets to apply his brush to a homosexual theme. His known lover was Xi Kang. The following poem, one of several dealing with homosexuality from the Jade Terrace collection of love poetry, beautifully illustrates the stock imagery on which men of his time could draw in conceptualizing and describing love for another man:

In days of old there were many blossom boys -
An Ling and Long Yang.
Young peach and plum blossoms,
Dazzling with glorious brightness.
Joyful as nine springtimes;
Pliant as if bowed by autumn frost.

Roving glances gave rise to beautiful seductions;
Speech and laughter expelled fragrance.
Hand in hand they shared love's rapture,
Sharing coverlets and bedclothes.

Couples of birds in flight,
Paired wings soaring.
Cinnabar and green pigments record a vow:
"I'll never forget you for all eternity."