Study Of Zhou Bida In Southern Song Dynasty

Zhou Bida, a famous courtier, scholar, and writer, had a significant position in both the political and literary realm in the South Song Dynasty. He had a close involvement with the political upheavals, and was a central figure in the strife between Taoism and Anti-Taoism. He was considered a protector of the Taoist and was looked upon as party leaders along with Zhu Xin in the Party Banishment. His rhymes lined in four and six characters and prose was characteristic of his era, and was noticed by Xiao Zeng emperor for his literary works. He was also a famous Confucianism theorist in the middle age of the South Song Dynasty.In chronicles and records of his contemporaries, Zhou was generally extolled as a protector of the Taoist Party, but sometimes criticized as a shrewd politician for his inadequacy in promoting the Taoists. Chapter II and III attempts to investigate into the political condition of his time by placing the subject matter under study in that period afore said, interpret Zhou in the political and cultural development in the South Song Dynasty, trace back his actual activities, explain the different evaluations by his contemporaries, and make a objective and though conclusion of Zhou. In addition, it re-interprets the complex relations between Zhou and the Taoist, the Anti-Taoists (who are unfairly considered as anti-revolutionary), and represents the mass activities of the political and literature magistrates in the middle age of South Song Dynasty.As a literature magistrate, Zhou played a significant role in political activities, and was involved in many violent clashes between political groups. Therefore, his behavior and philosophy changed, and his works began taking on a different style correspondingly. As a magistrate, he was practical in performing his duties, responsive to his time and his emperor's taste, and productive of fluent, utilitarian political essays, and of Parallel prose with dignified, classical styles. In spite of his prominent position, he suffered mental affliction patiently. He was under attacks from his political opponents because of his position as a protector of the Taoist Party, and therefore was in a state of tension and boredom. So, he wrote many essays to retire,besides a variety of Parallel prose.These works is typical of the mental state when a literature magistrate was plunged into political upheavals after he had succeeded climbing from a common person to a high political position. When he retired to Luling in his old age, he refused to comment on the contemporary issues to avoid trouble, and was proud of his seclusion. In this period he produced many works characteristic of trivialities in life. Chapter IV attempts to probe into the deep structure of his work under the influence of political issues, and the influence of party clashes upon his life and philosophy. This probe is based on relevant works of Zhou and the style induced by such influence, and is intended to give a gimps to study the literature of Southern Song Dynasty.