Human Words

Author: He Huaiying (Author)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihuahua (On Poetic Language), one of the most influential works since the late Qing Dynasty, is hailed as the brilliant culmination of classical Chinese poetics and the dawn of modern literary aesthetics. It is a work of great originality and value. Although it employs the traditional Chinese critique of ci poetry, it reflects modern aesthetic sensibilities and critical spirit. The entire book integrates Eastern and Western thought, bridging the past and the future, inheriting and breaking through traditional ci studies while also embracing and synthesizing Western theories. Since its publication nearly a century ago, it has received immense attention from academia and has generated a wealth of valuable research outcomes. Due to the influence of the times and politics, the research during this period has also faced misinterpretations and twists, but overall, people have come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the book, recognizing its outstanding achievements and timeless value, and using it to advance and deepen the study of literary theory and aesthetics. Renjian Cihuahua is a product that fuses Chinese and Western aesthetic thought. Wang Guowei came from a scholarly family and received traditional education from a young age. However, he disliked the rigid literary styles required for imperial examinations and left the examination hall midway, saying, "I will not return to face this humiliation again." He was an outstanding scholar of modern China, achieving remarkable accomplishments in literature, aesthetics, history, and ancient Chinese studies. Wang Guowei spent his tragic life in sorrow and frustration. Academia could not redeem him, but his poet's soul eventually led him to lose faith in the world he lived in. In June 1927, Wang Guowei left a note saying, "After this incident, there is no turning back," and drowned himself in the Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace in Beijing.
The central theme of Renjian Cihuahua is the "theory of jìngjiè (artistic realm)," which is the core of Wang Guowei's aesthetic thought. He eloquently captures the most important feature of art by emphasizing the role of a poet's emotions, interests, and creative thinking in the artistic process, pointing out that vivid imagery and the fusion of scenery and emotion are essential. This is a highly renowned literary theory and critique of the modern era. It Wang Guowei's literary aesthetic thought and stands as a milestone in the history of classical Chinese literary aesthetics. By reading this book, you can gain unique insights into Wang's philosophy of Eastern and Western thought, and your mind and body will undoubtedly find unexpected joy!