Title

An Analysis of the History of Poetry in Wenxin Diaolong

Author

Chien Liang-ju

Genre

Article  

Pages

209-248

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

Wenxin diaolong 文心雕龍, the history of poetry, the origin of poetry, being stirred by things and voicing one’s aspirations, the laws of poetic history

Abstract

Liu Xie’s 劉勰 (c. 465–c. 521) approach to literary history in Wenxin diaolong 文心雕龍 is rooted in the tradition of the Classics, thus distinguishing it from the history of literature in general. In particular, Liu highlighted the existence and influence of underlying laws in literary history, and he reiterated this history five times in the text to ensure that there were no omissions or misalignments. Due to the great degree of subjectivity and high intensity involved in its craftsmanship, poetry holds a significant place in Liu’s analysis, which reveals how the history of poetry manifested the possibilities as well as the limits of literary creation. This article outlines the first three aspects of the laws underlying literary creation in the Wenxin diaolong’s literary history: 1. the origin of literature (“The Original Meaning of Tao” Yuandao 原道); 2. the historical dimension of individualized poetry (“An Explanation of Poetry” Mingshi 明詩); and 3. the examination of laws governing constant and changing phenomena in literature (“Tradition and Change” Tongbian 通變). The article thus provides a perspective for tracing and analyzing the significance of the history of poetry in the Wenxin diaolong.