Research On The Mencius Lteraturea Nd Thoughts

In the context of the Warring States Period, with the help of related excavated documents, the thesis attempts to make a systematic examination on the formation and development of Mencius'literary theory, its connotation and characteristics, as well as its historic and realistic significance. By placing Mencius'Xin Xing theory and Ren Zheng theory into the contemporary academic scope, the thesis will explore the new theoretic values of Mencius'literary thoughts.The thesis is divided into the following five chapters:Chapter One is the introduction part, including the basis and significance of the thesis, previous research results, the research scope, the illustration of the book Mencius' different versions, the methodology of the thesis, and so on, with the purpose of laying a solid basis for a further study of Mencius'literary thoughts.Chapter Two is the main body of the thesis. By examining the key propositions and categories extensively, the chapter makes a detailed elaboration on the main content, theoretical connotation, systematic structure of Mencius'literary thoughts, as well as their inner connection.The first core moral aesthetic idea of Mencius is Shan Xin. The Xin Xing theory is the philosophical basis of Mencius'aesthetic thoughts, which derives from Confucius' but surpasses his. By analyzing the meaning of Beauty in the book Mencius, the moral implications of Mencius'Beauty concept are established. The original part of Mencius' aesthetic thoughts is the presentation of "Beauty Is Repletion". With a summary of the five forms of beauty put forward by Mencius, this part gives a vivid demonstration to the nature of Mencius'Shan Xin concept.The second point of Mencius'moral aesthetic thoughts is Yang Qi. By tracing the origin of Mencius'Yang Qi theory, it is pointed out that the idea of Moral Cohesion has a very important aesthetic influence on the creator's integrity, the cultivation of aesthetic capability, the beauty of poetry, and the like. It is also indicated that Mencius'Night Meditation theory is a natural extension of his moral aesthetics.The third core point of Mencius'aesthetics is his literary criticism based on textual interpretation. Mencius inherits and develops the literary thoughts of Confucius and comes up with the appreciative principles of Yi Yi Ni Zhi and Zhi Ren Lun Shi. With reference to Mencius' textual interpretation and a semantic discrimination of Wen, Ci, Yi and Zhi, the theoretic connotation of Yi Yi Ni Zhi is clarified. From the viewpoint of Hermeneutics, the thesis discusses Mencius' thoughts on literary criticism and its influence on later literary criticism.The fourth key concept of Mencius' poetics is Zhi Yong. By analyzing Mencius' criticism on The Book of Songs, it is put forward that Zhi Yong is the product of Mencius' appreciative principles of Yi Yi Ni Zhi and Zhi Ren Lun Shi. Mencius' poetics is closely related to the development of poetics in the middle of the Warring States Period. The idea of Zhi Yong is an original theory proposed by Mencius and marks his historic contribution to literary criticism.Chapter Three focuses on the excavated documents which enrich and complement Mencius' aesthetics and are crucial to the study of Mencius' aesthetics. Based on previous research results, the thesis further proves that the part of Shuo in Wuxing Book excavated from the Mawangdui Tomb is written by Mencius, in which Mencius puts forward his theory of De Qi, Se Ran and Da Ti.Chapter Four is a summary of the feature of Jing Shi Zhi Yong, i.e. putting what is learned into practice. As a major representative of early Qin's Confucianists, consciously or unconsciously, Mencius' behavior and thoughts serve the Confucius ideology, which is a typical application of the idea of Jing Shi Zhi Yong. In the specific historical context, the thesis analyzes the feature of Jing Shi Zhi Yong.Chapter Five involves the poetic feature of Mencius' aesthetic thoughts. It is stated that Mencius' aesthetic thoughts is deeply rooted in the tradition of ancient Chinese poetic culture, characterized by the poetic way of thinking and expression, which is a result of the objective cultural and historical background as well as Mencius' subjective factors.