Research on the Courtly Poetry of the Southern Dynasties

Author: Gui Qing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Courtly Poetry (Gongti Shixi) originated in the imperial courts of the Southern Dynasties during the Qi and Liang periods in China. It was a newly emerging poetic form with innovative significance, created and promoted by the crown prince and his literary group within the court. This book focuses on the controversial and research-worthy Courtly Poetry of the Southern Dynasties as its subject, providing a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of issues such as the definition of Courtly Poetry, its historical context, poetic theories, materialism, and periodization. It also revises and re-examines important reference materials, including the chronology of Xiao Gang, his lost poems, and his associates. Freshness, precision, and originality are the key features of this book. For instance, the author argues that Xiao Gang's theory of unrestrained writing served as a manifesto for Courtly Poetry, concisely explaining the content, characteristics, and theoretical claims of the genre. Regarding the relationship between The Jade Terrace Anthology (Yutai Xin Yong) and Courtly Poetry, this book posits that the compilation of The Jade Terrace Anthology was highly practical, aiming to establish a system of erotic poetry to justify the existence of contemporary Courtly Poetry—"to expand its scope." The arguments are sharp and insightful, with many original contributions. This book can be regarded as a refined and outstanding achievement in the study of Courtly Poetry.