Abstract: In early Tang Dynasty(618—766 CE), there were many lines in frontier poems that "advocated military over Confucianism", which derived from the unconscious inheritance of historical tradition, and self-mockery and anger from personal experience of talent being neglected. This kind of cultural inertia and temporary mood cannot fully and accurately prove that the frontier poets had a distinct custom that "advocated military over Confucianism". In fact, although the frontier poets in the early Tang Dynasty advocated military, they also positively pursued official career by academic study, which were mainly reflected in identifying with the literati, praising and sympathizing with scholars, having experience of being officials, and thought of civil administration. To make military achievements and pursue an official career was the aspiration of the frontier poets in early Tang Dynasty. The complexity of this aspiration reflects the profound contradiction between ideal and reality.

Key words: frontier poets, advocating military, cultural inertia, thought of pursuing official career