A Comprehensive History of Chinese Literature (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Liu Cunren, Chen Zhongfan, Chen Zizhan, Yang Yingshen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-04-01
Features:
Chapter XV Jingnan Literature
Jingnan, also known as Nanning in the New History of the Five Dynasties, was granted the title of King of Nanning by the Later Tang to Gao Jixing, the Military Trust King. However, both the History of Song and the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms referred to it as Jingnan, so we also call it Jingnan. Jingnan was one of the smallest states among the Ten Kingdoms, with only three prefectures. They served as vassals to the central court, receiving only its feudal titles. From the first year of Kaiping (907) when the Military Trust King took control of Jingzhou under the Later Liang to the first year of Qiande (963) when Gao Jichong surrendered to the Song, it spanned fifty-seven years, during which only forty-eight years were spent as a king (from 913 when he was granted the title of King of Bohai by Later Liang to 960 when the Zhengyi King passed away). Historical records state that although the Military Trust King was a warrior, he was humble and fond of entertaining guests. Scholars and monks who came to Jingnan were all warmly welcomed and well-received. Therefore, famous poets such as Sun Guangxian, the poet monk Guanxiu, and Qiji were all in Jingnan. Guanxiu later left Jingnan abruptly due to his conflict with Cheng Rui, so only Sun Guangxian and Qiji are discussed here. Others like Liang Zhen and Wang Zhengan are also briefly mentioned.
Sun Guangxian (?-968), styled Mengguang, was from Guiping. His family was engaged in agriculture, but he alone was devoted to reading and learning. During the Tang Dynasty, he served as a judge in Lingzhou. In the early years of Tiancheng, he fled to Jiangling, where the Military Trust King was actively recruiting scholars from all over. Recommended by Liang Zhen, he joined as a chief secretary. He later held positions such as Deputy Military Commissioner of Jingnan, Inspectoral Secretary, and Vice Minister of Censorship. When the Song conquered Hunan, he persuaded Gao Jichong to cede three prefectures to the Song. Impressed by his contribution, Emperor Taizu of Song appointed him as the governor of Huangzhou. He died at the end of Qiande. Sun Guangxian was knowledgeable in ancient studies and had a deep love for books, collecting thousands of volumes, some of which he personally copied and meticulously proofread, never ceasing even in his old age. He was a prolific writer, but his most celebrated works were his ci poems, which were included in the Flowers of the West (Huajianji) with sixty of his pieces. Among the ci poets of the Ten Kingdoms, apart from those of Western Shu and Southern Tang, only Sun Guangxian of Jingnan stood out. His works were also of exceptionally high artistic merit, making him a truly renowned writer. For example, in his Thoughts of the Emperor's Palace:
How can one? The more one tries to forget, the more one feels. Under the of the water pavilion on a long day, she gathers her shy brows. Six-layered silk skirts cover the ground, swaying like green waves. She watches the scattered raindrops falling on the lotus leaves.
Another example is his Visiting the Golden Gate:
It cannot be kept, even if kept, it would be useless. The white mulberry robe is as white as snow, like the first day she left Yangzhou.
A light farewell, willingly discarded, the sails on the river are filled with wind. I envy the thirty-six pairs of colorful mandarin ducks, but only one lonely swan remains.
His portrayal of a woman's sorrow in separation is truly masterful. He also wrote about the life of a hermit, with a serene and elegant style, as seen in his Fisherman's Song:
Floating fireflies, bright and then dim, the night is cold, the water is cold, the eastern bend is vast. The wind roars, the flute is lonely, ten thousand acres of golden waves are clear.
On the Duyu Island, the fragrance is strong, a wild goose cries in the frosty season. The waters and the belong to my days and nights.
Additionally, he compiled collections such as Jingtai and Juzhai. He also wrote Notes from the North Dream, which collected anecdotes of ci poets, now passed down to the world.
The monk Qiji was from Yiyang. Originally a tenant farmer named Hu Desheng, he entered the Buddhist order at the age of seven at Daxi Mountain Temple and later resided at Daolin Temple in Hunan. Later, he wished to travel to Shu, but the Military Trust King, hearing of his fame, detained him and appointed him as the abbot of Longxing Temple. He died in Jiangling and styled himself as Hengyue Sramana. During his time, he was regarded as one of the two greatest poetic monks alongside Guanxiu. Initially, he studied under the poet master Zheng Gu, but later, in Hunan, poets such as Xu Zhongya, Liao Kuangtu, and Liu Zhaoyu deeply admired him, and people jokingly called him the "Poetry Satchel." He wrote eight hundred poems, and Sun Guangxian wrote a preface for his collection, titled White Lotus Collection. He was often melancholic, which is reflected in his poetry.