History of Chinese Literature (Volume 2)

Author: Chief Editor: Yuan Xingpei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features:
Excerpt: In Fen Shi, Cao Pi's Treatise on Literature refers to Kong Rong, Chen Lin, Wang Can, Xu Ping, Ruan Li, Ying Yang, and Liu Ji as the "Seven Scholars." Among them, Kong Rong was the eldest and was killed in the 13th year of the Jian'an era (208), so in reality, only six participated in the literary activities of the Bei period. Among them, Wang Can and Liu Zhen achieved the most prominence, and Zhong Rong listed them in the top category in Poetry Critique. Wang Can, styled Zhongxuan, left 23 poems. He submitted to Cao Cao in the 13th year of the Jian'an era. His works before this submission either recorded the wars and chaos of the late Eastern Han or depicted his feelings of displacement and unfulfilled ambitions while wandering in Jingzhou. His representative poems are the three Seven Laments Poems, with the first one being particularly famous:
The Western Capital is in chaos,
Tigers and wolves bring suffering.
Fleeing the Central Plains, I abandon my homeland,
And embrace the barbarian lands of Jing.
Relatives weep before me,
Friends chase after me.
Outside, I see nothing but plains covered in white bones.
On the road, I see a hungry woman,
Abandoning her child in the grass.
I hear her cries of sorrow,
Yet I cannot return alone.
Unsure of where I will die,
How can I fulfill both my duty and my heart?
I drive my horse away,
Unable to bear these words.
Ascending the slopes of Yuanling,
I look back at Chang'an.
Remembering the people of Xiaquan,
My heart aches deeply.
This poem depicts the poet's observations and experiences while fleeing from Chang'an to Jingzhou during the chaos in the 3rd year of the initial Ping era (192), when Li Yong and Guo Si rebelled. "Outside, I see nothing but plains covered in white bones" summarizes the devastation caused by war; the six lines "On the road, I see a hungry woman" vividly describe a hungry woman abandoning her child, exposing the suffering of the people under war. Wu Qi of the Qing Dynasty commented on this poem: "In times of chaos and displacement, everything becomes trivial, but the hardest to part with are one's flesh and blood, especially a mother's love for her child. By writing about this, one can understand the depth of her emotions." (Selected Poems of the Six Dynasties and Their Judgments Volume 6). Shen said this poem was the "ancestral work of Du Shaojing's No Home Left, Old Man's Separation, and other poems" (Sources of Ancient Poetry Volume 5), showing its great influence. The second Seven Laments Poem contrasts the desolate landscapes and the homes of birds and beasts with the poet's own suffering of being stranded in a foreign land, also being deeply moving.
After submitting to Cao Cao, Wang Can's more important works include the five Military Service Poems, which mainly describe the poet's feelings during several campaigns with Cao Cao. The poems recreate the desolate rural scenes and widespread devastation after the wars of the late Eastern Han; they praise Cao Cao's brilliance and martial prowess; and also express the poet's willingness to serve the country under Cao Cao. Wang Can also had some works that were part of the literary exchanges with Cao Pi, Cao Zhi, and other scholars during the Bei period, such as the Public Banquet Poem. Although these works were "appreciating the wind and moon, and indulging in gardens," they had positive significance in expanding poetic themes and exploring poetic techniques. Wang Can's poems are deeply emotional, heroic, and tragic. Xie Lingyun described him: "Born into a noble family in Qin Chuan, he was a scion of the elite, but displaced by chaos, his sorrow was profound." (Preface to Wang Can's Poems in the Bei Collection of the Prince of Wei). "Self-pity" is Wang Can's emotional characteristic. His noble lineage and displacement made him particularly sensitive to the world and sorrowful for himself. This was the starting point for his poetry. While his works expressed sympathy for the people and a desire to fulfill his ambitions, these were all rooted in his personal sorrow. Therefore, "expressing sorrowful words" (Poetry Critique top category) became his main feature, though he was inevitably "tragic but not heroic" (Artistic Generalizations Poetry Overview). Wang Can's poetry achieved great success, and Liu Xie praised him as the "crown of the Seven Scholars" (The Art of the Mind Talent and Strategy). Fang Dongshu praised him as "bleak and sorrowful, with powerful talent and vigor, unmatched after Chen Si" (Zhao Mi's Notes Volume 2). His poetry also had a significant influence on later generations. Zhong Rong said in Poetry Critique that famous poets like Pan Yue, Zhang Xie, Zhang Hua, Liu Kun, and Lu Chen all drew inspiration from him, even the Prince of Wei, Cao Pi, "had the style of Zhongxuan."
Liu Zhen, styled Gonggan, left over twenty poems. He was highly regarded for his poetry at the time, and Cao Pi called him "the best five-character poems of his generation, surpassing everyone" (Another Letter to Wu Zhi). He had a bold and unrestrained personality. His poetry reflected his character. Liu Xie said: "Gonggan's temperament is narrow, so his words are bold but his emotions are startling." (The Art of the Mind Talent and Character). Zhong Rong said: "He relies on his spirit and loves the extraordinary, often striking with brilliance. His integrity withstands the cold, and his high spirit transcends the ordinary." (Poetry Critique top category). Liu Zhen's poems fall into two categories: gift poems and leisure poems. His gift poems are most famous for the three Gifts to My Younger Brother. These poems use the orchid, pine tree, and phoenix to metaphorically represent steadfast and noble character, both praising his younger brother and reflecting the poet himself. Liu Li said: "The first line speaks of the orchid being fit for offerings, the second of the pine and cypress holding firm integrity, and the third line again uses the phoenix, deepening the expectation and the weight of the words." (Supplementary Notes on Selected Poems Volume 2). The second one is the best:
The pine on the mountain stands tall,
The wind in the valley rages fierce.
How strong the wind, how sturdy the pine!
Beneath the ice and frost,
They remain upright all year long.
Though they endure the freezing cold,
The pine and cypress retain their nature.
It is bold and vigorous, with a spirit of "standing tall and self-reliant" (Lu Shiyong General Treatise on Poetry), and "transcending the ordinary" (Zhong Rong Poetry Critique). Unlike Wang Can, Liu Zhen's style is "bold but dense" (Cao Pi Treatise on Literature). Similarly facing chaos,