Title

Zheng Wang Yuefu and the Foundation of New Yuefu Poetry

Author

Lu, Chia-hui

Genre

Article  

Pages

275-314

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese  

Key words

Li Bai, Du Fu, Zhang Ji, Wang Jian, New yuefu

Abstract

      Li Bai and Du Fu were the two poets responsible for writing the most yuefu poetry in the High Tang. However, whereas Li concentrated on old style yuefu, Du also wrote titles in the new style. In the Middle Tang, before the establishment of the “new yuefu” poetry formally named by Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi, Zhang Ji and Wang Jian composed yuefu poetry in both the new and old styles. On the one hand, Zhang and Wang accepted Du’s idea of combining current events, the gexing form and lyrical titles, which followed examples found in works from the Han and Six dynasties. On the other hand, they also expanded upon those lyrical titles with content targeted at current events. While they followed Li Bai in composing yuefu in ancient verse instead of regulated form, they also deepened the yuefu tradition of “caring for the people’s suffering,” which differed from the concerns informing Li’s works. Both their old and new style yuefu took an interest in current events. Zhang and Wang’s yuefu broached new subjects and their style of writing appeared in the later works of Li Shen, Bai Juyi and Yuan Zhen. In other words, Zhang and Wang’s mutually inspired poetic innovations influenced the later literary production of Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi.