Remonstration Officials And Literature In Tang Dynasty

Tang is a dynasty during which not only the system of the limited monarchical power was conducted most effectively, the ancient Chinese literature also reached its peak. Politics and literature found a favorable point of convergence during this period, namely, the scholarly characterization of politics and the standardization of the remonstration official system. Many established literary giants in Tang dynasty once acted as remonstration officials; even for those who didnt hold the positions of remonstration officials, they also bore the qualities of remonstration officials, which left great impact on their political life and literary creation. Therefore, an in - depth analysis of the relationship between the remonstration official system and literature will make us to be well acquainted with the politics and literature of Tang dynasty.Based on the theory of the limited monarchical power in the light of the Chinese political thoughts, the thesis is taking both the political theme and the discourse system of the remonstration in Chinese literature as the principal part of the study from a macro - point - of - view. Then the thesis depicts a brief profile of the characteristics of remonstration system and literary elements in the qualifications of being remonstration officials. It analyses the specific requirements for literary qualities in the system of Tang politics and the scholars'status in politics. It takes San Qi Chang Shi, Ji Shi Zhong, Jian Yi Da Fu, Qi Ju Lang, Bu Que, Shi Yi and some other scholars among remonstration officials as subjects to compare the scholars'life experiences and their political powers among the senior remonstration officials and junior ones, so as to expose the interrelations of the political career of the rerronstration officials with that of the Tang dynasty. In addition to the study on politics, based upon the interrelations between Confucianism, Taoism and politics, the thesis probes into the formation of remohstration officials 'sense of justice and their personality characteristics. Speculating on the cultural and psychological diversity of the scholars'political roles, the great impact of Confucianism and Taoism on Chinese politics has been demonstrated. Finally, the thesis analyses the literary awareness of the remonstration officials and the writers'awareness of remonstration , showing the awareness of remonstration among the major poets in Tang dynasty has greatly promoted the development of Tang literature, which provides an objective reference on the relationship between literary creation and political practice.The conclusions from the thesis are as follows;1. The Confucian theory on the limited monarchical power is the theoretical basis of remonstration and the scholar - officials are the main body who carried out the limited monarchical power. The "Tao" , the highest criterion for literary creation, is a kind of code or link with which literature and politics can have "dialogues" with each other; The " Will" is the major discourse realizing the link between literature and politics, and an artistic form that brings literature, politics and Tao in harmony. Influenced by the awareness of remonstration, the ancient Chinese literature has three major political themes; personality cultivation, emotional expression on material things and remonstration practice.2. The Tang remonstration system is a comparatively perfect one amid the ancient Chinese political systems with three features; the cooperation of official ranks and remonstration, the integration of regular and irregular remonstration, the evasion of emperors and prime ministers, which has allowed great independence in remonstration practice.3. Remonstration is a form of political practice rooted from various cultures and Confucianism has great effect on the writers' remonstration awareness and the development of remonstrating practice. For instance, remonstration officials of great achievements in the early times of Tang were mostly affected by Wang Tongs pragmatically -o-riented...