Title

The Literary View of Fan Zhongyan and the Formation of Taixue Style as a Dominating Idea  

Author

Chi-wang Fung    

Genre

Article  

Pages

85-115     

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

Fan Zhongyan, taixue style, Shi Jie, "circulating the voice of praise"   

Abstract

  This paper illustrates literary pursuits of Fan Zhongyan as well as the origins of the formation of taixue style. It aims to demonstrate three main ideas. First, despite the fact that Fan Zhongyan supported Han Yu's ideas on gudao(classical way) and guwen (classical writings), he never considered that "innovation of literary style" goes hand in hand with the objective of political reformation that took place during the Qingli period. The reason is that Fan reckoned that "elegance" and "voice of praise" are the key factors of literary works functions as advocating morals and manners; thus he did not pay too much attention to innovation of literary style. Secondly, Fan recommended Hu Yuan to keep and rectify rites and music, as well as appointed Hu Yuan and Sun Fu to be in charge of the Imperial Academy in order to manifest "practice of rites and music." He did so because this ceremonial music and institution of rites symbolized the voice of a peaceful period which represented "the model writing style found in the period of Three Sovereigns," and conformed with his pursuit of the literary ideal that "as the Song dynasty is flourishing, it is suitable to establish institutions of rites and music." Finally, due to the fact that Fan's concept of "upholding the voice of praise" provided a theoretical basis for taixue style to advocate interference in administrative commands during the Qingli period, taixue style rose spontaneously. This explains why taixue style had an enormous influence upon the reversion to writing style during the Qingli period.