A Study Of "Classified Collection Of Tang Poems"

The present dissertation focuses on the poetic collection named"Classified Collection of Tang Poems", compiled by Zhang Zhixiang who lived during Jiajing period of Ming Dynasty."Classified Collection of Tang Poems", edited by Zhang Zhixiang of Ming Dynasty and filled and revised by Wang Che, has 200 volumes in all and was complied in late Jiajing period. It was described in the 29th year of Wanlin and is the collection of classified poems of Tang Dynasty that is the earliest, largest-sized collection and relatively complete in system. This book includes 28067 poems by 1472 poets respectively in early, prosperous, middle and late periods of Tang Dynasty. It is of great use for the completion of"Full Collection of Tang Poems", and sets a paragon and has significant influence in the history of Tang poems. But the book experienced half of century when it was complied to be described and it was rare to see especially after it was stored up by the authority and there are only some extant copies which are currently kept in the Library of Peking University, the Library of Japanese Cabinet, and the Library of Japanese parliament, which serves as the reason for the lack of knowledge of this book including its basic information, compiling style and learning values, etc.. The research of Zhang Zhixiang and his"Classified Collection of Tang Poems"are hardly to be found. Until the end of last century, the"Existing Lists of Series of Imperial Collection of Four"took in the copy which described the 29th year of Ming Dynasty and stored up by the Library of Peking University, this book gradually gets to be known. In April 2006, Shanghai Guji Publishing House published in photoprint copy sorted out by the Japanese researcher named ZhongDaoMinFu. With this opportunity, the author tries to make an all-round and thorough discussion on"Classified Collection of Tang Poems"and strives to find out the learning values of this book.The present dissertation makes a research on the writers'works which focus on the "Classified Collection of Tang Poems"compiled by Zhang Zhixiang under the background of literature development in the middle period of Ming Dynasty. The research subjects mainly concern his experiences in all life, the basic condition of"Classified Collection of Tang Poems", such as general dimensions, compiling styles, nature belonging, and documentary sources, which will provide relatively reliable foundation for further research.This dissertation is composed of three parts: the introduction, a 4-chapter body and an appendix.In Introduction, there is a simple analysis on how the name of research subject is obtained, learning values of the present selected subject and research conditions. Then the research ideas and main innovative points of the dissertation will be discussed.Chapter One contains a study of Zhang Zhixiang's experiences in all life and his ideas. Firstly, Zhang Zhixiang's life and ideas are expounded respectively in three different periods such as teaching here and there, serving the office for short time, retiring from official life and engaging in writing. Secondly, concentrated on Zhang Zhixiang's social activities, his status and influence in Southeast literature of middle-late Ming Dynasty is mirrored from the other aspect by textually researching his socialization and traveling from his ancestors, intimate friends and other aspects. Thirdly, Zhang Zhixiang's learning ideas are discussed from three aspects such as literature, historiography and philology.Chapter Two analyzes deeply the basic condition of"Classified Collection of Tang Poems"in order to provide a relatively reliable foundation. Part one examines the stylish features of this collection from its compiling aims, compiling style, the process of finishing and scoring. Part two analyzes the nature belonging of"Classified Collection of Tang Poems"from two points of view such as classified book and collection, confirming that it is classified collection of Tang poems rather than classified book. Part three mainly analyzes the success and failure of the collection.Chapter Three is a study on documentary source of"Classified Collection of Tang Poems". Firstly, the scale of documents selected is analyzed and holds that the documents selected for this collection include poem collection, assembled collection, classified book, poems and novels. Secondly, some important documentary sources of"YiWenLeiJu","ChuXueJi","WenYuanYingHua","YueFuShiJi","TangLeiBianGeShi","TangShiPinHui"are examined and stated. The author tries to put forward her own ideas on the basis of previous studies.Chapter Four dissertates the status and influence of"Classified Collection of Tang Poems", and points out that its status is manifested from the following three aspects: it is the earliest, largest-sized collection in existence of greatest significance among collections of classified Tang poems; it plots out the poetic history of Tang Dynasty and make the 4-stage theory of Tang Dynasty more perfect; it is also one of the three sources for"Full Collection of Tang Poems"compiled in Qing Dynasty and is of great use for this book's completion. Meanwhile,"Classified Collection of Tang Poems"also has great influence on compiling later poetic collections and classified book due to its specialty in style.The appendix concludes"Annual List of Zhang Zhixiang"in which detailed and reliable documentary materials are offered for a systematical study of the learning achievement of Southeast literature in middle-late Ming Dynasty by compiling Zhang Zhixiang's experience in all life, learning activities and writing achievements.