A Study Of The Theory Of Argument In The Tang And Song Dynasties

This paper researches the argumentation writings of Eight Great Men of Letters of the Tang and Song Dynasties (hereinafter referred to as "EGMLTSD"). The argumentation writing plays an important role in the course of history of ancient Chinese literature, which is one kind of prose having both practicability and literature. The argumentation writing has strong sermon and argumentum colors from beginning, but also is an article type particular about exquisite language arts, discourse skills and moving people by motion. The argumentation writings are works that EGMLTSD paid many efforts, reflecting their outstanding achievement and contribution on politics, classics, history and philosophy. This paper will give systematic elaboration and interpretation on their argumentation writings, in order to have a deeper understanding on the article character, ideological content and art of language rhetoric. Including:The introduction firstly studies EGMLTSD’s argumentation writings research status, defines the connotation and extension of this paper’s argumentation writings; then based on the previous studies by other people, proposes this paper’s research significance and ideas; lastly abstracts this paper’s viewpoint and innovation.The first chapter is research of political works of EGMLTSD’s argumentation writings. This chapter firstly makes a statistic that argumentation writings’status, take political works as example, analyzes the development and evolution of six kinds argumentation writings. Then this chapter analyzes the reason of political works’boom, which is the unrest social situation, the indirect penetration of literary movement and the reform and innovation of imperial examination system. Finally, point out that innovation of internal affairs is the central content of their creation of argumentation writings. Situation of the internal and external country in the mid-Tang to Song and dark decay of social environment are the real background of EGMLTSD creating political works. Facing the social darkness, they pointed out problems, criticized decadent society, proposed statecraft. This chapter analyzes EGMLTSD’s political ideas and governing ideas from change thought, people thought and economic thought.The second chapter is research of historical works of EGMLTSD’s argumentation writings. The first section of this chapter analyzes inherent historical thought in EGMLTSD’s historical works. EGMLTSD expressed their own views through some highlighted historical people or event, to show some kind of allegory to the reality by taking the lessons of history, which reflect the thought of learning from history. For the established historical figures, historical events, EGMLTSD usually though from different historical perspective, broke old views, which reflect their realistic and innovative ideas. The second section studies the "Orthodox" intension in EGMLTSD’s historical works, expounds their change course that from "Unification" to "Orthodox" thought.The third chapter is research of classics works of EGMLTSD’s argumentation writings. EGMLTSD’s classics works contain plenty of classic though. They were not fettered by existed viewpoints, dared to doubt, and proposed a lot of unique viewpoints. The first section expounds the difficult position of classics works in Middle Tang Dynasty and the try Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan did to revive Confucianism, who rethought the traditional concept, explored new roads of classics works. The second section of this chapter studies six new cultures of classics works in Song Dynasty. There are changes when they interpreted classical works and also their annotation style, appeared "explain classics works by argumentation " and "explain classics essay by power change" and "explain classics works by human nature " and other new ways of explanation, classics works gradually changed from "Sinology" to "Song learning"he fourth chapter is research of miscellaneous works of EGMLTSD’s argumentation writings. EGMLTSD’s miscellaneous works can be divided in philosophical treatise, allegorical treatise and informal essay. The first section of this chapter studies Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan and Wang Anshi’s unique explanation of human nature, destiny view. The second section of this chapter analyzes allegorical treatise, firstly analyzes the thought characteristic that they became the mirror of reflecting social reality, reveal and castigate the dark society, official corruption, human ugliness. Then explores the psychologies they produced allegory works, that cry out against injustice, influence of previous people’s works and creative innovation mind are the major factors affecting the generation and development of EGMLTSD’s allegory works. The third section of this chapter expounds informal essay, which are full of wisdom, feelings and philosophical, interestingly, with a high artistic. And also contains a wealth of literary aesthetics, where "Simple with law", "Shang Yi", "Shaping with thing" and other literary theory are reflected.The conclusion summarizes the whole paper, then lists the issues which need further explored.