History of Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Poetry and Theory

Author: Ding Fang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-02-01
Features: A History of Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Poetic and Theoretical Studies is another significant achievement in the field of ancient Chinese poetic theory. The book has two notable characteristics. , due to the author's specialized research in art theory, such as painting and calligraphy, and the publication of works like Annotations on the Theory of Chinese Painting, the book closely integrates ancient theories of calligraphy, painting, music, opera, and fiction to interpret poetic phenomena and poetic theory. This is a prominent feature of the book. For example, applying the theory of painting to explain Wang Shizhen's "Spirit Resonance Theory" is a highly successful case. In Chapter 4 of the first part ("Qing Dynasty Poetry Criticism"), the section on "Wang Shizhen's 'Spirit Resonance Theory'," the author introduces the "Loose Style Theory" from painting theory to evaluate Wang's poetic thought. From the perspective of the origin, development, connotation, and influence of the "Loose Style Theory" on the "Spirit Resonance Theory," the author analyzes Wang Yuanyang's poetic theories, demonstrating how the "Loose Style" painting theory, closely related to the Southern School of painting and literati painting, was organically integrated into the "Spirit Resonance Theory" in terms of theories of writers, subjects, and styles. This is also a crucial reason why Wang Shizhen's poetic thought is more comprehensive and profound than that of his predecessors. Additionally, this method is also applied when discussing the poetic theories of figures like Zhu Yunming and Tu Long. The second characteristic of the book is its broad scope, as it delves into aspects often overlooked by academia. For instance, the late Qing and early Republican period was quite lively in poetic and theoretical circles, yet this phase is often forgotten or briefly mentioned. Currently, research on ancient topics tends to focus on the period before the Opium War in 1840, while modern studies often prioritize the post-Establishment of the Republic. This creates a relative gap in research. The author meticulously analyzes and excavates this period of poetic theory, such as the "Tongguang School," the "Four Great Late Qing Lyric Poets," Chen Tingzhuo's Baiyu Zhai Cihua, Wang Guowei's poetic theory, and so on, all of which are explained in depth and insightfully.