20th Century Medieval Literature Research

Author: Wu Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: This book is a review of important research on the literary history of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (medieval period) by Chinese scholars since 1900. It extensively quotes original arguments and provides commentary. The academic value of the book lies in its comprehensive overview, organization, and comparison.
Postscript: The book was written over six years, from the summer of 1997 to the present. Regarding the study of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties literature in the 20th century, Professor Xu Gongchi divides it into four stages (Xu Gongchi, "On the Modernization Process of Ancient Chinese Literature Research in the 20th Century," Social Sciences in China, February 1998):
Stage 1: 1900–1928, the initial period of scientific modernization. Some cultural pioneers of the time used modern Western concepts and methods to re-examine traditional Chinese academic culture. By the mid-1910s, the "New Culture Movement" had emerged. The wave of modernization in thought and culture directly influenced the study of traditional culture. Some early modern cultural pioneers, while spreading new ideas, also engaged in the study of classical Chinese literature.
Stage 2: 1928–1949, the developmental period of modernization, or further maturation. During this period, the scientific modernization of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties literature research transitioned from the initial stage to a mature one. The signs of maturity included two aspects: First, modern-style research became deeper, more stable, and more diverse, i.e., more scientific; second, historical materialism, as the concrete embodiment of dialectical materialism in the social and historical field, was introduced and rapidly developed in the study of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties literature, becoming a new perspective and methodology.
Stage 3: 1949–1978, the unified period of discipline development. The term "unification" refers to the fundamental consistency achieved in academic thought, which was based on Marxist historical materialism.
Stage 4: 1978–2000, the period of disciplinary diversification. The term "diversification" refers to the contrast with the previous stage. Academic research shifted from the dominance of historical materialism to a situation where various ideas and methodologies coexist. This aligns with the reform and opening-up process in politics and economics during the same period.
This book adopts a chronological style. Here, the term "chronological" means placing the works or arguments of researchers into one of the four stages of the 20th century. Works or papers with the same publication year are listed in order of month. The purpose of this approach is to reveal the developmental trajectory of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties literature research in the 20th century.
It should be noted that in the historical period of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, some second-tier writers like Lu Ji, Xie Lingyun, Xie Tao, and Shen Yue were included in only two stages (1900–1949 and 1949–2000) due to limited academic research on them in the 20th century. However, regardless of the division, the guiding principle remains the four-stage framework.
While ensuring the inclusion of key researchers' works, the book also aims to maximize information.
Key research achievements in Stage 1 include Liu Shipei's Lectures on Medieval Chinese Literature History (later revised to History of Medieval Chinese Studies), Liang Qichao's Tao Yuanming, Lu Xun's Sketches of the History of Chinese Fiction, Wei-Jin Style, Literature, and the Relationship Between Medicine and Wine, and Hu Shi's History of Vernacular Literature.
Key research achievements in Stage 2 include Fan Wenlan's Commentary on The Heart of the Mencius and the Art of Literature, Luo Genze's History of Yuefu Literature, Chen Yinlo's The Thought of Tao Yuanming and the Relationship with Qingtan, Zhu Guangqian's Tao Yuanming in On Poetry, Qian Jibo's History of Chinese Literature, and Liu Dajie's History of the Development of Chinese Literature.
Key research achievements in Stage 3 include Wang Yao's Lectures on Medieval Chinese Literature History, Collected Works of Tao Yuanming, Liu Qinli's Poetry of the Pre-Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Collected Works of Tao Yuanming, and Essays on Medieval Chinese Literature. It should be noted that although Liu Qinli's works were published in Stage 4, the research was completed in Stage 3, hence the mention here.
Key research achievements in Stage 4 include Cao Daocheng and Shen Yucheng's History of Southern and Northern Dynasties Literature, Cao Daocheng's Collected Essays on Medieval Chinese Literature History, Luo Zongqiang's Neo-Daoism and the Mind of Wei-Jin Scholars, History of Wei-Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties Literature Thought, Xu Gongchi's History of Wei-Jin Literature, Ge Xiaoyin's History of Poetry in the Eight Dynasties, Studies on the Landscape and Pastoral Poetry School, Qian Zhixi's Original Theory of Wei-Jin Poetry, Life Views and Literary Themes Before the Tang Dynasty, Wang Zhongling's History of Medieval Chinese Poetry, Li Jianguo's History of Strange Tales Before the Tang Dynasty, and History of Han, Wei, Southern and Northern Dynasties Fiction.
To enhance information, the book reviews key works while also giving attention to general monographs and important papers.
During the writing process, this book received assistance from Professors Xu Gongchi and Li Chuntai, to whom I am deeply grateful.
January 2003, at the residence of Shi Beili in the Northern Campus of Tianjin Normal University.