The Research Of Zeng Guofan And The Resurgence Of Tongcheng School

Starting with the topic of Tseng Guofan and the resurgence of Tongcheng School, the thesis makes an investigation on the prose theory and creation of Tseng and his fellows. And then an analysis has been made on his partticular significance in the literature and culture fields of modern times.The thesis is constituted of seven parts: introduction, epilogue, and five chapters in text.The introduction made a sumary on the current research, and discoursed the cause, train of thought, objection and the research methods as well.Chapter one disoursed the origin background of Tongcheng School.Tracing the relationship between Tongcheng School and Xiangxiang School was the first step of the research. Xiangxiang School seems to be distinct different in both theories and creation style from Tongcheng. Propsing compatibility of prose and parallel prose, useness-oriented, heroic-style, they were in touch with each other closely. Based on the difference and similarity from the theory framework and core concept, the research could continue prosperous. Then there was a discourse on the specific background of the society, literature and academy, unscrambling the "field" of literature. The confluence of the academy of Neo-Confucianism of Song and Ming dynasties, the changment in direction of Neo-Confucianism, the reality-oriented train of thought played a great pole in the development of literature.Chapter two discoursed Tseng's endeavour during the connetion with Tongcheng School. Faced with curious cultural crisis, he took great trouble to get in touch with Tongcheng School, his theory in this period and the factors imposed on it should be investigated carefully. All of his theories were affected by Tongcheng School and Neo-Confucianism of Song and Ming dynasties, and he had some ideas as well, independent but not mature. After having joined in the army, he laid a great emphasis on integrating Tongcheng School into the whole academic system. It's a generalization of the literature idea, indicating the realiy-orientied initiation of Tongcheng School.Chapter three discoursed Tseng's literature idea during the Resurgence period. Compared to the prior period, his theory on prose proved to be more mature. He questioned the relationship between literature and Confucianism, united Sinology and reality-oriented idea into literature, and showed deep comprehension and respection to the literature. It was meaningful to make such an analysis on the reasons for the new changement on account of his whole theory framework.With regard to the ways of theory conveying, the private pattern in his home letters and diaries differed from which in his prose and poems. He laid great empfasis on the aesthetics of literature, echoing the literature tradition from Mei Zengliang and the aesthetics thought Wang Guowei advocated in future, demontrating the evolution of literature idea in modern times.Chapter four discoursed the development of Xiangxiang School and the achievements they had made with the influence of Tseng. Tseng had affected Tongcheng Resuigency deeply in many factors, such as the creation and definite achievement. Xiangxiang School took Yao Nai, Mei Zengliang, Tseng Guofan as their model, exempilying their clear-cut choice on the literature tradition. On the whole, Xiangxiang School carried on Tseng and differed from Tongcheng School in the variety of the types of literature, expantion in the content, and publicization on the aesthetic style, et.Chapter five discoursed the significance of Tongcheng Resurgence in the development of prose during modern times. Laying an emphasis on the independence of literature aesthetics, Tongcheng Resurgence demonstrated the changement on prose idea of modern times. Simutaneously, the resurgence affected the literature field of modern times deeply with the interigation of aesthetics and reality of literature.The epilogue summaries in Tseng's status in literature and culture, and the achievements Tongcheng Resurgency had made. And then a reflecation was made on the predicament of the resurgency.