Willow Catkin Image Research In The Ci Poetry Of The Song Dynasty

Willow catkin is the important theme and unique esthetic image in the ancientChina’s classical poetry. In the Ancient Chinese Literature, willow catkin has beenchanted and praised endlessly during all previous dynasties, and there is considerablepoetry, the Ci poetry of the Song Dynasty and prose-poetry with the theme of willowcatkin, which constituted noticeablely important components in the China’s classicalliterature.The Ci poetry was greatly abundant and popular in the Song Dynasty, the flyingwillow catkin is just compatible with the sensitive and delicate mind of the Ci poet, andthe talents and different interests of the Ci poet endows the willow catkin withembodiment and soul.In addition, the development of thoughs and culture as well as thechange of the social life in the Song Dynasty play such roles as providing anirreplaceable opportunity for the development of the willow catkin image, enriching theemotions and implications that the willow catkin theme expresses and creating thevarious artistic mood. This paper attempts to explore the implications of the willowcatkin image in the Ci poetry of the Song Dynasty from three aspects.Chapter one presents the history and the development of the willow catkin image.Firstly it introduces the interpretation of the willow catkin from the perspective ofbibliography and definition of the willow catkin. Then it goes on to discuss thedeveloping process of the willow catkin image before Song dynasty. Concerning aboutthe willow catkin dates back to Jin dynasty and prevails in Tang dynasty. With thedevelopment of the Tang poem, the willow catkin image varies both quantitively andemotionally.Chapter two is the study of the description of the willow catkin in Song Poems. Thecolor of the willow catkin is white as snow, frost, salt, ice and white felt; the shape is likeflog, smoke, cloud, veil, ball, tear and dust; it is so light just as the butterfly, snowflakeand flying petal; it is called the “freedom flower”,“crazy flower” and “drifting flower”.Chapter three fully analyses the emotional meanings expressed through the willowcatkin in Song Poems. The willow catkin with its color, shape, appearance, charm andfragrant touches the rich feelings such as deep inside sorrow, separate feeling, lovesick,drifting feeling, deep love, bemoan and generosity.