"White Rain Studio's Annotations on Ci Poetry (Selected Works on Chinese Classical Literary Theory and Criticism)"

Author: [Qing] Chen Tingzhuo, Du Weimo, edition and annotation
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1959-10-01
Features: The author of this book claims that the purpose of his writing is "to follow the principles of Fengcao and Zhengqi, embodying warmth and thickness as the body, and melancholy as the application, leading it through a thousand aspects, and ultimately converging in one truth. It is not about being difficult with the ancients or forming a unique school of thought alone, but rather there is something that cannot be helped within, continuing the tradition of this art" (from the Preface to Ci Hua). This is a conscious effort to propose and elaborate on a systematic theory of Ci, targeting the trends in the Ci world. The book holds the views of the Changzhou school, but in some specific arguments, it does not strictly adhere to the opinions of the founders of the Changzhou Ci school, such as Zhang Huian and Zhou Ji. The book emphasizes "inspiration" and "allegory," believing that "if the allegory is not profound, the inspiration cannot be deep" (same as above), and "if the allegory is not deep, the established meaning is not substantial, it is not enough to speak of inspiration" (Ci Hua, Volume 6). It highlights and elaborates on the sincerity of emotion and the melancholic style, advocating that "if one truly follows sincerity and expresses it with melancholy, then both boldness and subtlety are acceptable" (Volume 1). The so-called "sincerity" means that Ci "should be based on warmth and peace" (Volume 8); the so-called "melancholy" means that the language "should be melancholic and resolute" (Volume 8), making it "with the intention before the pen, and the spirit beyond the words" (Volume 1). The three concepts of allegory, sincerity, and melancholy are interconnected. "To express grievances about the times and turn them into poetry already places one at the forefront. However, it is not advisable to reveal it directly; only the style of allegory can be used, even within allegory, it must be subtle and unexposed—this is melancholy, this is sincerity" (Volume 2). At the same time, it emphasizes that "at the beginning of entering, one must distinguish between elegance and vulgarity" (Volume 7), and avoids "vulgarity" (Volume 6). The book elaborates on these basic views in detail through specific critiques of. Although the book does not oppose the bold style of Ci, it also admires Su (Shi) and Xin (Qiji), it overly emphasizes the melancholic style, so it still takes Wen (Tingyun) and Wei (Zhuang) as its guides, praising Wen Tingyun's 14 chapters of Pusizhuan as "the ultimate standard of all time" (Volume 1); Wei Zhuang's Ci is "the superior realm of Ci" (Volume 1); it particularly admires Wang Yijun, believing that "with Wang Yijun, Ci becomes noble" (Volume 2). Therefore, it fails to recognize the value of the more direct reflections of reality in Su and Xin's Ci. It also shows disdain for folk literature, believing that "mountain songs and woodcutter's chants" are "hardly worthy of the grand hall" (Volume 6).