Tang and Song Eight Masters' Prose

Author: Ouyang Xiu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The prose of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties" holds an important position in the history of Chinese literary development. It inherits the fine traditions of pre-Qin and Han Dynasty prose, opposes the parallel prose style that emerged since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and develops and perfects various ancient prose genres. It has influenced prose creation in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and also holds significant reference value for contemporary prose writing. To learn from the writing experience of the Eight Great Masters and promote the fine traditions of national culture, the "Family Bookshelf" series is specially launching the book "Prose of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties."
In the mid-Tang Dynasty, Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan raised the banner against formalism, emphasizing that literature should reflect social phenomena and focus on the ideological content of the text. In terms of form, they advocated learning from the prose of the pre-Qin and Western Han periods and abandoning the shackles of parallel prose. During the Song Dynasty, Ouyang Xiu inherited and developed Han Yu's literary ideas. Under his advocacy, the prose written by Wang Anshi, Zeng Gong, as well as Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe achieved significant success. The creative works of Han, Liu, Ouyang, and Su, among the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties," brought prose to a new stage of renewal after the Qin and Han dynasties.