Study Of Literature And Culture Of The Langya Wang Clan In Wei Jin Southern And Northern Dynasties

Langya Wang Clan was a famous family in Chinese literary history, especially with so many outstanding scholars during the Wei Jin Southern and Northern dynasties. This paper discussed the development of the Langya Wang Clan’s literature, combining with a probe into the Langya Wang Clan’s culture and family custom.The first chapter was a general summary of the Langya Wang Clan’ s literary creation during the Wei Jin Southern and Northern dynasties. Due to the change of social environment and the trend of thought, the Wang Clan’s literature presented different characteristics in different phases. We divided the the Langya Wang Clan’s literature into three stages, aiming at getting the clear and accurate picture of its development. The first phase was the Wei-Jin period; the Wang Clan’s literary creation presented a gradual change from a practical way highlighting political consciousness into a way that applied one’s artistic thought consciously. The second phase was Southern dynasty, during this period, the Clan’s literature developed very prosperously, with everyone trying to make some change and innovation in literary creation, therefore, Wang jian, Wang Rong and Wang Jun have became the leading figures during this period. The third phase was the Northern Dynasty; the Langya Wang Clan’s literary outstanding characteristic was the fusion of the north and south style, represented by Wang Bao. The second chapter was a cultural research of the Langya Wang Clan in Wei Jin northern and southern dynasties. We discussed it from the aspects of Confucian classics, Lao-zhuang metaphysics and Lao-shi doctrine respectively. The tradition of Confucian classics in the Langya Wang Clan originated from Wang ji from the Western Han dynasty, since the Wei and Jin dynasty, Confucian classics has been regarded as the family learning tradition inherited generation by generation inside the Wang family. Meanwhile, under the increasing influence of the metaphysics in Wei and Jin dynasty, the Wang family has changed from the Confucianism into the Metaphysics, and the Wang scholars were all fond of talking with each other and retreating into nature in a cool way. Qingtan Rendan(talking Metaphysics with each other and acting in a cool way)was started from Wangrong, Wang yan and Wangcheng of Western Jin dynasty, and with the Qingtan Rendan, those three person became so famous that they even obtained a good and high post in the government, which improved the Langya Wang Clan’s reputation and position. Since then, Wang’s children chased and cultivated it until the South dynasty. Gaoshang Feidun(retreat from the officialdom into nature willingly)stemmed from the middle phase of the Eastern Jin dynasty, many scholars in the Langya Wang Clan enjoyed a casual and detached lifestyle, they withdraw from society and appreciated the beautiful scenery of the nature. Since the Wei and Jin dynasty, the Wang’s worshiped WuDouMiDao(Not get involved with officialdom but enjoyed the life in a detached way), especially in the branch of Wang Xizhi and Wang Ningzhi. The Wang Clan’s worship of Buddhism influenced other clans’worship too, leading to the prosperity of Buddhism in the South Dynasty. In this process, the Langya Wang’s made remarkable achievement.The third chapter was about the Langya Wang Clan’s family tradition and custom during the Wei Jin Northern and Southern dynasty. The Langya Wang Clan has been prosperous for several hundred years, which should attribute to its family tradition and custom, such as, Mengfeng Xiaoyou (respect friends wholeheartedly), Lianxi Chaoyi(practice the court etiquette hard and be familiar with them), Yushi Tuiqian(change themselves as the time changes).The Wang’s attached great importance into getting along well with parents and siblings harmoniously, which was respected by society at that time. There were many well-known sholars who were good at the court etiquette in the Wang Clan, such as Wang Biaozhi, Wonghong and Wang Jian. Politically speaking, the Wang’s rose stably in Wei Jin dynasty and maintained its family status in the Southern Dynasty, which was benefited from the Yushi Tuiqian. And also because of it, the Wang’s can actively learn from and absorb the new trend thought, which made its family culture constantly up-to-date and vigorous. On the basis of above research, We tried to get a systematic and integrated picture of the Langye Wang Clan, meanwhile, to figure out the relationship and interaction between its family literature and family culture and custom.