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The Significance Of Bai Juyi As "The Third Pole" In The Tang Poetry, Shijin Luo
The Significance Of Bai Juyi As "The Third Pole" In The Tang Poetry, Shijin Luo
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Bai Juyi was a monumental poet and a special cultural icon in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, which was also called "the centre of all dynasties" by Ye Xie. Bai Juyi initiated a turning point in literary writing and influenced the spiritual world and outlook on existence of the scholar-officials, and became "the third pole" of the Tang-Dynasty poetry and culture, along with the other two poles of Li Bai and Du Fu. If Li Bai presented an ethereal poetic prototype and a wayward personal image, while Du Fu composed formally subtle poems with a grave spirit of saving …
The Social Mores Of The Intellectuals In The Capital Of Beijing And The Spreading Of Changzhou Ci-Poetry Theory In The Late Qing Dynasty, Yan Xie
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The theoretical system of Changzhou Ci-Poetry School active in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, though constructed early, reached the mainstream ci-poetry circle as the result of changes in the learning and social mores of intellectuals in the late Qing Dynasty. The want for change was generally felt in the ci-poetry circle in early Daoguang Reign (1821-1850). This want for change corresponded to the political demands of the poet-officials who had newly entered the officialdom, which enabled the spreading of the Confucian idea of ci-poetry in the early Changzhou Ci-Poetry theory. This theoretical idea invested new implications into the ancient …
The Poetic Education In Academies Of Classical Learning In The Qing Dynasty, Nensheng Cheng
The Poetic Education In Academies Of Classical Learning In The Qing Dynasty, Nensheng Cheng
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
In the context of imperial examination, academies of classical learning in the Qing Dynasty could not afford not to stress the techniques of examination-required poetry and regulated prose composition, with some academics teaching technique for composing other forms of poetry. The purpose of turning the coarse writing into the elegant corresponded with the government's aims of promoting noble style in writing so that the technique pursuit of composing poems was not meant to be instrumental for passing the imperial examination only but also nurture the person for the country. To that end, many academies developed methods that focused on the …
The Connotation And Referent Of Chuanqi In The Study Of Fiction In The Ancient China, Qinghua Wang
The Connotation And Referent Of Chuanqi In The Study Of Fiction In The Ancient China, Qinghua Wang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Through a critical examination of the connotation and referent of the term chunaqi (legendary story, literally, "transmission of the strange") in the study of fiction in the ancient China, the paper points out that the term chuanqi in the ancient critical discourse was not a concept of genre but a concept of content and thematic type. When chuanqi is referred to as a genre, it was often called as a then homophonic term zhuanji (biographical record), while chuanqi referred to "a book-length account of an event from the beginning to the end." This term of chunaqi referred to a literary …
Is Wang Guowei's Theory Of The Poetic State Focused On Feelings: A Discussion With Mdm. Ye Jiaying, Zhi Geng
Is Wang Guowei's Theory Of The Poetic State Focused On Feelings: A Discussion With Mdm. Ye Jiaying, Zhi Geng
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
In her book Wang Guowei and His Literary Criticism, Mdm. Ye Jiaying describes the theory of poetic state as "a vivid expression in the work [… of] the feelings of the author." If Ye's interpretation of the theory is interpreted within the context of the book, however, it may be found that Ye's interpretation is insufficiently supported by the theoretical discourse and practice. The problem in Ye's interpretation include the following. Firstly, her interpretation of the essence of the theory dissolves not only the intrinsic characteristic of "the emotion" and "the scene" but also the poet's conscious artistic pursuit and …
An Investigation On The Antenarrative In Ancient Chinese Novels, Runbao Wan
An Investigation On The Antenarrative In Ancient Chinese Novels, Runbao Wan
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The antenarrative takes many forms in ancient Chinese novels with varied functions, and religions and folklore are among the main source of influences on its formations. The religion-influenced antenarratives may be classified into explicit, implicit, undetermined and multiple antenarratives in terms of their function. The antenarrative plays an important role in the overall design, the narrative schema, and the setup of suspense in the ancient novels, and suggests a unique national characteristic of Chinese classical novels. The folklore-influenced antenarrative takes the form of "the entry to the story (ru hua)," "the head to chapters (tou hui)," the comments of the …
On The Stylistic Origins And Literary Forms Of Ci And Fu, Zhixi Qian
On The Stylistic Origins And Literary Forms Of Ci And Fu, Zhixi Qian
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper argues that ci (poetic prose) and fu (rhymed prose) were two different genres, each originated from its oral tradition. Ci, a form of poetic prose, originated from various stylistic writings such as ritual presentation on sacrifice and historical events and ambassadors' orations, while Encountering Sorrow by Qu Yuan (343-278 BC) and Nine Songs from the Songs of the South from were related with them. Ci and Fu became merged into one genre at the hands of Song Yu (ca. 298-222 BC), Tang Le (ca. 290-223 BC) and Jia Yi (200-168 BC), and to the time of the Han …
The Theoretical Construction And Developmental Genealogy Of "Imagery" Aesthetics In The 20ThCentury's China, Wei Han
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
In the 20th century's China, the theoretical study on "imagery" as an aesthetic category has gone through different phrases. Before 1980s, "imagery" was understood as a term imported from Western aesthetics, and in the early 1980s the study of imagery started to enter a phase of theoretical self-awareness. In the last two decade of the century, two trends emerged as the ontological construction and Sino-Western dialogue in the study of imagery. The former aims at the ontological study of images, during which the ontological construction and the generalization of images occurred simultaneously so as to gain the discourse power in …
Multiple Metaphors Behind The Playing: An Explanation Of Hu Shi's Interpretation OfA Journal To The West, Hongbo Zhu
Multiple Metaphors Behind The Playing: An Explanation Of Hu Shi's Interpretation OfA Journal To The West, Hongbo Zhu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Hu Shi was the first to interpret Chinese classical novel A Journal to the West by taking it as a game play. Since 1920s till now, his interpretation has met with pros and cons, but his interpretive perspective is still worth examining. In the current theoretical context, this paper surveys the academic background of Hu Shi’s interpretive perspective and attempts a new explanation. The paper tries to investigate the multiple cultural implications behind the "play" interpretation of the novel from such angles as the second innocence, freedom from constraints, and anthropological structure of game and hopes to enrich the theoretical …
Fang Hui's Reverence For Tao Yuanming And The Self-Salvation Of Jiangxi Poetry School In Late Southern Song Dynasty, Fei Liu, Houjun Zhao
Fang Hui's Reverence For Tao Yuanming And The Self-Salvation Of Jiangxi Poetry School In Late Southern Song Dynasty, Fei Liu, Houjun Zhao
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
In the late Southern Song Dynasty, Tao Yuanming remained a poet widely admired by many poetic critics. Fang Hui, who was active in the late Song Dynasty and the early Yuan Dynasty, gave much attention to Tao Yuanming in his critical works, which can be taken as a typical case for study on the research of Tao. His views on poetics showed many characteristics of Jiangxi poetry school, and his study on Tao Yuanming had a profound influence.
On The Artistic Origin Of Wen Tingyun's Music Bureau Style And Its Influence On Ci-Poetry, Qinghai Liu
On The Artistic Origin Of Wen Tingyun's Music Bureau Style And Its Influence On Ci-Poetry, Qinghai Liu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Wen Tingyun's poetry of Music Bureau style inherits mostly from Li He but also from Li Bai and the Music Bureau poetry of the Southern Dynasties. The artistic character of Wen's Music Bureau style comprises of a suggestive way of representation and a flowery language, and the style exerts an obvious influence on Wen's ci-poetry. Wen Tingyun introduced a pompous style into the literati's ci-poetry of late ages, but the influence of Wen's style on ci-poetry can be traced back even to Han Hong in the Dali period in the Tang Dynasty.
The Dao Shown In Skills Or Integrated Into Skills: An Examination Of Zhuangzi's Aesthetics On Skills, Huoqing Chen
The Dao Shown In Skills Or Integrated Into Skills: An Examination Of Zhuangzi's Aesthetics On Skills, Huoqing Chen
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
In Zhuangzi's relationship between Dao and skill, the prevailing understanding is that Dao can be shown in skills. This understanding, the paper argues, may not be internal to Zhuangzi's thought but derivative from later theorists and scholars on the basis of their understanding of artistic and aesthetic practice. The later theorization may also result from the integration of Confucian and Daoist thoughts. The within-heart epiphany and the experience of "sitting and forgetting" do not correspond to the spirit of arts or aesthetics but to the spirit of morality. The pursuit of the fantastic skills instead of the practical skills in …
The Evolution Of The Concept "Emulating Pre-Tang Regulated Verses" In Ancient Chinese Poetics, Zhanzhao Liu
The Evolution Of The Concept "Emulating Pre-Tang Regulated Verses" In Ancient Chinese Poetics, Zhanzhao Liu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
As an important poetic concept, the trend of "emulating pre-Tang regulated verses" arose in mid-Tang Dynasty. After its finalization of the pattern, the metrical verses were criticized by those scholars believing that the regulated verses are inferior to the pre-Tang poems, as they were believed to lack the pre-Tang's esthetic characters like Fenggu (air), Xingji (message), simplicity and naturalness. Thus, some scholars proposed the concept of "emulating pre-Tang regulated verses" to learn from pre-Tang poems' rhetoric technique, text structure, style function and writing spirit. Tang poetry advocated Bixing (two metaphorical and rhetorical qualities from The Book of Songs) in the …
The Historical Origin And Changing Connotation Of Recording "The Extraordinary" In Chinese Ancient Novels, Yueling He
The Historical Origin And Changing Connotation Of Recording "The Extraordinary" In Chinese Ancient Novels, Yueling He
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Recording "the Extraordinary (Qi)" is an essential character of Chinese ancient novels, and both its attributes and connotations have been deeply connected with Chinese ancient historical biographical writing. Chinese ancient novels and Shi (historical biography) are closely linked but not similar, as the narrative of historical biography is based on the principles of collecting the extraordinary for the purpose of instructing the sacred way and expressing the justice (Yi) through rhetorical working (Wen). The orthodox concept in "Confucius not talking about the strange and uncanny" and the general exclusion of the extraordinary in the historical biography and the restriction of …
Theoretical Features Of Comments On Zhuangzi'S Prose In Qing Dynasty And Their Artistic Value, Bo Li
Theoretical Features Of Comments On Zhuangzi'S Prose In Qing Dynasty And Their Artistic Value, Bo Li
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The annotated commentaries on the prose in Zhuangzi's prose in the Qing Dynasty inherit and develop the traditional theory of literary criticism, and establish a discursive system of modern literary criticism. In particular, the interpretative studies on the narrative theory, appreciation and literary Dao have expanded the scope of Zhuangzi's aesthetics and have significant influence on theoretical development.
The Conception Of Canonization InThree Hundred Tang Poems, Honglin Wang
The Conception Of Canonization InThree Hundred Tang Poems, Honglin Wang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper argues that Three Hundred Tang Poems was compiled on the basis of the first edition of A Collection of Differentiated Tang Poems (Tang Shi Bie Cai Ji) in terms of the number of overlapped poems in both books and of the similarity of their compilation style and principles. The selection of Three Hundred Tang Poems shows that it lays equal emphasis on the educational function and the artistic appeal of poetry. It continues to accolade the High Tang poetry as An Collection of Differentiated Tang Poems did, while reducing the weight of the Early Tang poetry to highlight …
Penglai, Cinnabar, And The Great Roc: The Presence Of Daoism In Du Fu's Poetry, Haoming Liu
Penglai, Cinnabar, And The Great Roc: The Presence Of Daoism In Du Fu's Poetry, Haoming Liu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
This paper challenges the traditional stereotype of Du Fu as poet-sage by investigating his relationship to Daoism as is reflected in his poetry and in his life. It first discusses Du Fu's subscription to Daoism as a state ideology promoted by the Tang rulers and his representation of the court in Daoist paradisiacal imagery. It then moves to a discussion of the significance of Daoism to Du Fu as a personal faith and practice, with particular attention paid to his relationship with the doctrine of gold cinnabar. Finally, it investigates the nature and the meaning of the metamorphosis of the …
The Gestation, Evolution And Cultural Implication Of The Concept Of "Author" In Ancient China, Chunqing Li
The Gestation, Evolution And Cultural Implication Of The Concept Of "Author" In Ancient China, Chunqing Li
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper examines the development of the concept of "author" in ancient China from the pre-Qin to the Han-Wei Period. The trajectory can be found from Confucius's "explicating without writing down" to the claim that "the authors are too holy to be named" in The Book of Rites, and down to Cao Pi's "Jiayi could be named as a real author [on the basis that] his 'On the Qin's Governance' evaluated Zhou and Qin's merits and demerits, explicated the uninterpreted phenomena, exemplified with the mores from the past three dynasties and illuminated with the sages' teaching." This process, from the …
The Antiquity-Revival Movement And The Study Of Ci-Poetry In The Ming Dynasty, Yi Yu
The Antiquity-Revival Movement And The Study Of Ci-Poetry In The Ming Dynasty, Yi Yu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Antiquity-Revival Movement had a profound influence on literature in the Ming Dynasty, which also showed in poetics as the devaluing of poetry written in the Song Dynasty and establishing a direct lineage between the then prevailing Ci-poetry to the ancient poetic tradition of the Han-Wei and Six-Dynasties. Thus, the study of Ci-poetry in Ming Dynasty expanded its scope of exploration into aspects such as the tonal, lyrical and aesthetic qualities in poetry. Due to the inherent affinity between the Ci-poetry in the Southern Song Dynasty and Shi-poetry in the Song Dynasty, the poetics of Ci-poetry in the Ming Dynasty …
The Construction Of Refined-Vulgar Ci-Poetry System In The Northern Song Dynasty With Liu Yong As A Benchmark, Licheng Xu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Before the Song Dynasty, Ci-poetry was a form of ballad singing, often having an impromptu nature, and therefore it was regarded as a genre of lowbrow literature. Later, scholar-officials in the Northern Song Dynasty were attracted by the new form and tried to make it a literary form to entertain their taste and talent. During the process of legitimization and canonization, Liu Yong, as a representative popular Ci-poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, played a uniquely important role. Scholar-officials identified vulgarity as the characteristic of Liu's ci-poems as they mostly belonged to the popular lowbrow lyrics. The scholar-officials then benchmarked …
On The Relationship Between Self-Annotations And The Lyrical Implications In The Tang-Dynasty Poetry, Na Wei
On The Relationship Between Self-Annotations And The Lyrical Implications In The Tang-Dynasty Poetry, Na Wei
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Self-annotation is an important and a popular phenomenon in the history of the Tang-Dynasty poetry, and it creates a complex relationship with the inner lyrical implications of poetry. Different modes of self-annotations in different developmental phases result in different relationships between self-annotations and poetic sentiments. The relation evolves from estrangement during early Tang and Dali Reign, to integration in Middle Tang and to the final recession in the Late Tang. This evolution shows that self-annotations follow a trajectory around lyrical implication of the poetry with a centrifugal or centripetal movement. The paper concludes that the mapping of the relationship between …
The Significance And Influence Of Gu Jin Ci TongAs Exemplified By The Poet Wang Hong, Xuejun Chen
The Significance And Influence Of Gu Jin Ci TongAs Exemplified By The Poet Wang Hong, Xuejun Chen
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The compilers of Gu Jin Ci Tong (A Definitive Anthology of Ci-Poetry from the Ancient to the Present) favored the Southern Song Dynasty Ci-Poetry and slow-tune Ci-poetry, and allowed for the coexistence of both graceful and the bold styles of Ci-poetry, with a special highlight on Xin Qiji's Ci-poems. The principle of selection and the idea about Ci-poetry influenced the compilation of Ci Zong (A Comprehensive Anthology of Ci-Poetry) by Zhu Yizun. Wang Hong, a key figure who set the fashion of Ci-poetry in Meili, played an important role behind Zhu's compilation. After moving to Meili, Zhu developed a close …
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between The Categories "Qi" And "Vein" In Ancient Literary Theory, Xiang Xiong
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between The Categories "Qi" And "Vein" In Ancient Literary Theory, Xiang Xiong
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
"Qi" (vital force) and "Vein" are very important for traditional Chinese medicine and geomancy, and they are significant categories in ancient Chinese literary theory as well. The relationship between "Qi" and "Vein" relates to the meaning of the compound phrase "Qimai." When the two-character phrase is of subordinate structure, it refers to a channel by which "Qi" flows in a literary text. When it is of parallel structure, the phrase points to the filling-up of "Vein" by "Qi" and the controlling of "Qi" by "Vein." The evolution of the concept of "Wenqi" (literary vital force) makes possible the concept of …
Obstacles Of Reception And The Textual Features Of Wu Jingzhi'sThe Scholars, Yongqiang Liu
Obstacles Of Reception And The Textual Features Of Wu Jingzhi'sThe Scholars, Yongqiang Liu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper claims that the spread of Wu Jingzhi's The Scholars (The Unofficial History of the Forest of the Literati) does not live up to its artistic and thematic achievements as it requires more of the readers than other classical novels in the period. The profundity in thoughts and the ambiguity in meaning require close reading, while the density and range of knowledge provide more cultural obstacles. The implicit plot and narration demand the readers to be highly engaged, and Wu Jingzi's ancient-oriented sentiments are sometimes at odds with the mores of the present time. The paper concludes that The …
On Liu Xizai's Aesthetic Concept Of The Author's Primary Bound, Xingchuan Tao
On Liu Xizai's Aesthetic Concept Of The Author's Primary Bound, Xingchuan Tao
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Liu Xizai attaches great importance to the relationship between the character of the author and the quality of an artwork, and generally refers the former to the latter in a metaphoric way. He distinguished three levels of artistic value in artworks and equated them to three kinds of author's character. The best character of an author is to keep the primary bound ("yuan fen"), the talented ("ying jie") comes next, and the mean and banal ("bei wei") lies at the bottom. This paper analyzes the characteristics of Liu's concept of "yuan fen" in four aspects. The first is rooted in …
"The Concept Of Ben-Se" In The Horizon Of Chinese Poetic Criticism, Mingfu Pan, Zhaopeng Wang
"The Concept Of Ben-Se" In The Horizon Of Chinese Poetic Criticism, Mingfu Pan, Zhaopeng Wang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The concept of "ben-se" (original color) is very important in the theoretical system of Chinese poetics. "Ben-se" may refer to the "professional" status of the author and the orthodox position of poetic works on the one hand, and simplicity of language, naturalness of expressions and genuine affection in the text on the other hand. In the development of poetic criticism from Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, the concept of "original color" has always shown an underlying self-perfecting dynamics. The theorization of the "original color" concept has shifting focuses along its theorization process from author-centeredness to contents, …
Benevolent Neighborhood Is Beauty: The Meta-Problem Of The Aesthetic Thought In Pre-Qin Confucianism, Haozhe Tan
Benevolent Neighborhood Is Beauty: The Meta-Problem Of The Aesthetic Thought In Pre-Qin Confucianism, Haozhe Tan
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The idea that "benevolent neighborhood is beauty" in The Analects highlights the human aspect of Confucian aesthetics, and the theoretical proposition in the idea may be argued to be a meta-problem. It reveals the intrinsic connection between Confucius's aesthetics and his view of benevolence (Ren) and the benevolence-based nature of Confucian aesthetics, while it is the rationale and criteria for aesthetic thinking and judgment in various fields of life, society, art and nature. Confucius's idea of benevolence echoes in Mencius's concept that "enrichment and fulfillment are beauty." The idea that "benevolent neighborhood is beauty" highlights three main characteristics of pre-Qin …
On Lu Ji's Concept Of Audible Meaning As A Form Of Synesthetic Criticism, Songqing Chen
On Lu Ji's Concept Of Audible Meaning As A Form Of Synesthetic Criticism, Songqing Chen
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Lu Ji's term of "liuliang" in A Treatise on Rhapsody (Fu) had been interpreted since Li Shan in the Tang Dynasty as "clear and bright" or "lucid," although some scholars take it as referring to a new mode of writing rhapsody ("fu," rhymed prose) in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In this paper, I argue that "liuliang" means "resonant," which was then used to describe the high and loud quality of sound. The term was used by Lu Ji to describe not only the loudness of the sound quality in "fu" but also the rhetoric and beautiful style in its …
On The Acceptance OfThe Books Of Songs In The Qing Dynasty Poetry, Guoan Chen
On The Acceptance OfThe Books Of Songs In The Qing Dynasty Poetry, Guoan Chen
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The acceptance of The Book of Songs shows not only in a branch of study in itself but also in almost all the genres of literary texts. This paper surveys how The Book of Songs was accepted in the poetry from Qing Dynasty and examines the acceptance into the Qing Dynasty literature from the perspectives of preserving the original spirit, the lyric way of expressing emotions and the imagery.
On The Suzhou-Poetics Centrism In Qian Qianyi's Selected Poems Across Dynasties, Yijin Bai
On The Suzhou-Poetics Centrism In Qian Qianyi's Selected Poems Across Dynasties, Yijin Bai
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Qian Qianyi's Selected Poems across Dynasties was compiled with a highlighted local style and taste centred on the poetics developed around Suzhou (traditionally called Wu). The compiler of Selected Poems across Dynasties had consciously evaluate and position the various poetic schools in Ming Dynasty from the perspectives of Suzhou poetics, and the perentage of Suzhou-originated authors in those poetic schools and the affinity with the Suzhou poetics were highlighted to delineate the development of Suzhou-poetics as the mainstream and authodox source of literature in the Ming Dynasty.