The Research On Anthologies Of Ancient Poems In Ming Dynasty

It is of great academic value to conduct a systematic study of anthology of ancient poems, which is an important literature form in Chinese literature history. But the current study of anthology of ancient poems is miscellaneous and far from enough. After a long period, the first rise in study of anthology of ancient poems came in Ming Dynasty. During this period, more than one hundred and fifty types of anthologies of ancient poems were compiled and all of them are significant in the documents study and literary critical theories and should win their positions in Chinese academic history, development of literary theories and literary criticisims. The present paper gives a critical analysis of anthologies of ancient poems of Ming period from the perspective of classical document study and classical literary theories. Different types of anthologies and their practical conditions are examined in the documentary study and the relationship between those anthologies and poetry creation and poetic trend of Ming period in the theoretical study.Chapter I is about the development and change of ancient poem anthology in different dynasties and it falls into three sections. In section one, the six dynasties of Han and Wei are regarded as the onset of APA, and a brief overview is made about the early APA. The development of APA in Tang Song and Yuan dynasties is examined in section two. Section three, the major part of the chapter, Ming and Qing dynasties is an introduction of the most developed period of APA, in which many APA came out.Chapter II is the literature review of APA in Ming dynasty, with over 150 APA in Ming dynasty, including the collections of both ancient poems and poems of Tang dynasty, dynastic poem anthology beginning from Xian Qin or dynasty Han or Wei, some collections of both poems and articles with ancient poems as the major parts, and those editors of the transitional periods from Yuan to Ming dynasties and from Ming to Qing dynasties as well as their APA.Chapter III is a critical review of APA in Ming dynasty of over twenty important APA, including the prefaces and postscripts, collecting principles, poets included therein, numbers of poems of APA and Catalogues of Complete Library of Four Branches of Literature, with a starting point of the Ming dynasty setting.Chapter IV clarifies the changes of the different editions of Gujinshisan by Li Panlong and Gushigui by Zhongxing and Tan Yuanchun, with a focus on the compiling process and collaboration of Gujinshisan.Chapter V discusses the relation between APA and poetry writing in Ming dynasty, which, influenced by the revivalism trend in the literature and social life of the period, is characterized by the inclination to ancient culture. Poetry writing of the Former and Latter Seven Masters and Jingling School is reviewed, which highlights its consistency with the poetry concepts of APA.Chapter VI summarizes the poetry concepts of APA by examining several influential APA in Ming dynasty. The author finds no systematic consistency in Li Panlong, author of Gujinshisan, with the poetry concepts of tradition poetry styles in Han and Wei dynasties, instead Li chose mostly from the poems characterized with pure and splendid styles of those in the six dynasties of Han and Wei, like Xie Tiao, which, to the author, is a sign of Li's encompassing poetic inclination. By examining Gushigui by Zhong Xing and Tan Yuanchun, it if found that the characteristics of serenity, profundity, solitude and gloom of Jingling School is not only an aesthetic style, but a spirit of independence and transcend, which is a moderated style found by Zhong and Tan between the Revivalism and Gongan Schools. The exploration of Gushijing editored by Lu Shiyong is a review and analysis of the editor's selections and principles.Chapter VII is a discussion of the roles played by APA in Chinese literary critical history. Influenced by the revivalism trend, various types of anthology developed. They have great documentary value and classical literary criticism significance and should win their positions in Chinese literary critical history. Unfortunately, there are few studies of APA. Therefore, the study of them becomes urgent and worthwhile.