| "Wei"(Charm) is a significant concept both in Chinese poetics and criticism of poetry. Centering on the theory of artistic charm, Zhong Rong of the Kingdom Liang (AD502-557) made a systematic elaboration of the poetic form "wuyan'(a poem with five characters in a line) ranging from the Han Dynasty and the Kingdom Wei to the Southern Dynasty in his book Evaluation of Poetics, the earliest theoretic work on poetry. He evaluated the works of important poets in the light of aesthetic element contained in the theory of poetic appeal, which initiated the likewise critical tradition in the criticism of traditional Chinese poetry. Based on the theory of poetic appeal, the origin of the critical tradition on artistic charm, and approached with reference to the modern Western reception theory, the thesis is an endeavor made to mirror fresh understanding of the concept through a survey of the process of poetic appeal in use in classic poetics, a minute analysis of the poetic attraction of the theory of artistic charm and a comparison of the important development of the theory after Zhong Rong's pioneering work.The thesis comprises three chapters.Chapter One focuses on the origin of charm in use and the birth of the theory of artistic charm. Though charm is suggestive of physical taste, it was admitted to the realm of discourse of ancient Chinese poetics and specified as a critical term that is open and rich in Chinese characteristics. This owes much to ancient Chinese philosophy, the way of thinking in particular, which functioned as its dominant base. The evolution of charm is divided into two stages, that is, the stage of application of metaphor and that of independent poetic appeal. With regard to style, the tendency of evaluating poetry in terms of charm resulted from the infatuation with reserve and simplicity in classic poetry. Many factors contributed to the rise of the theory of artistic charm, including the aesthetic view affected by the metaphysics of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the prevailing study of evaluation of characters, the imported theory of poetic appeal of ancient India and Zhong Rong's individualized psychological mode, to name a few. To sum up, the establishment of theory ofartistic charm is the result of interaction of different factors. It is the representation of the never ending aesthetic working of the subject on the object. Meanwhile, the theory of artistic charm itself existed as a direct result.Chapter Two is an analysis of the poetic appeal of the theory of artistic charm. The diverse forms of charm in the history of the theory of artistic charm are unable to be comprehended without a detailed study of the specific poetics related. Four binaries of concepts oriented on the outpouring of emotion through poems existed in harmony and unity to make up charm related closely to Zhong Rong's ontological poetics. As is manifested, charm is a concept characterized by strong tolerance, multiple dimension and level. The course of evaluating the poets and their works with the standard of artistic charm marks the process of comprehending the overall appeal of the works, which bespeaks the dynamic construction of charm.Chapter Three elaborates on the influence of the theory of artistic charm on the criticism of poetic appeal. The Tang and Song Danasties were periods when the Chinese poetry witnessed its prime and the theory of artistic charm saw its prevailing stance. In connection with Zhong Rong's theory of artistic charm, the theory of poetic appeal operated together with the theory of context to propel the exploration of poetic appeal. Situ Kong's implied objective, Su Shi's theory of supreme charm and Yan Yu's theory of interest led the theory of poetic appeal towards the realm where form was applied in contrast to the formless, the finite to the infinite and the real situation to the imaginary, thus giving rise to the spiritual fulfillment and freedom. All the three theories sublimated Zhong Rong's theory completed and made the direct appreciation of truthfulness of life through...
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