Yuan Mei Chronicle New

Yuan Mei, one of the most important litterateurs during the mid-Qing dynasty, was famous for the "Theory of Spirit" he put forth. So far, academic researches around him have mainly fruited on his theories of poetry, nevertheless studies on his life still have empty pages to fulfill and timeworn verdicts to break through. Meanwhile, by revising, expurgating and recomposing his former works, Yuan did built quite considerable obstacles between thorough researches and early steps he made in becoming such a polygraph of creativeness and imaginariness.In this dissertation, I intended to make full use of Shuangliu Xuan Shi Wen Ji, an early collection of Yuan's poems and proses, as well as other historical materials concerning him. to present a new image of Yuan. Furthermore, I am going to provide a panorama of both Yuan's social life and literary activities and to add some new explanations for those hot discussions around him, such as the reasons why he resigned, and more details of his controversy with Shen Deqian.This dissertation adopts the form of chronicle of one's life and is separated into two parts by the thirteenth year of Qianlong when Yuan resigned his post and began to settle down in the Sui Garden. According to me, this decision eventually led Yuan's whole life to a new direction.The first part of this dissertation consists of two volumes. Volume One begins with age 1 and ends up with the age of 26, paying special attention to his passing the imperial examination. Volume Two deals with the years from his 27^th to his 33^rd. The most important events in this period are Yuan's failure in the Manchu language test, being exiled to Jiangnan, being appointed the minister of four counties successively and finally quitting his post. Almost all the great changes in Yuan's mind could be traced back to this period. Besides, the aforementioned Shuangliu Xuan Shiwen Ji is the key material that I use to scout around.The second part of this dissertation consists of three volumes. From the age of 34 to 42, Yuan became decisive with retirement, and by dealing in homesteads, making loans and some other ways, he earned himself a comfortable living in the Sui Garden. During the next period of Yuan's life, before he reach the age of 63, he published his view of prose writing in three letters to a friend, and then came his arguments with Shen Deqian, and to sum up, he wrote 32 poems known as Sequel to Shipin. At the age of 60, Yuan finished the compilation and publication of his corpora. Yuan became a leading figure of the contemporary literary society during this period. Volume 3 starts with Yuan's 63^rd, when he lost his mother and welcomed his only son. Being set free from all the responsibilities a male member of a family bears, Yuan began to travel all over the eastern China from his 64^th. Sui Garden critics on poetry and its addendum were published at the same time, thus brought forward the impact of the "Theory of Spirit" and gradually made Yuan Mei a vital writer in the literary history of Qing Dynasty.