Birds And Poetics

In the traditional classification of Chinese ancient poems, there is not one class called "Flyingbirds Poems", instead, there exists one called "Chanting Birds Poems" based on the concept of "Object-Chanting Poetry", which are themed birds or describe birds as the main objects. But in the poems of different themes and genres in the past dynasties, the creations with birds as its images are indeed countless and beautiful. In addition to the large number of "Chanting Birds Poems", still, there are many other poems, of not regarding birds as their main objects described but just as one of images together with which the other poetic images make of the touching artistic conception and lyric scenes. Although these poems do not meet the requirements of the traditional "Chanting Birds Poems", in the actual processes of creation they can create marvelous mood with extensive meanings and rich images mixing with emotions and scenes. Besides, another class of poems, personifying birds as people or speaking in birds' standpoint, is classified by Qian Zhongshu into two classes—"Bird Language Poems" and "Fowl Language Poems" ("The Anthology of the Song Dynasty") and can also be considered as one component of "Flyingbirds Poems" in ancient times. Therefore, the research objects in this paper include all the poems of the three classes above-mentioned which accord with the defined range of "Flyingbirds Poems" discussed in this paper.By investigating the creation reality of the "Flyingbirds Poems", concluding its basic classes and sorting out "Flyingbirds Poems" and its images of every period, a meaningful developmental sequence is summarized. In Chapter 6, 7, and 8, based on the theories of poetics in ancient times, this paper combines the previous analysis and research of "Flyingbirds Poems" and discusses the roots and features of poetic nature aiming to find the wide meanings of poetics concluded.This paper consists of 8 chapters, which respectively explore the images, motifs, and writers, the poetic thinking, the expressions and the relationships with human beings' existence. Though, the 8 chapters are closely related and form a whole.Chapter 1 IntroductionBy reviewing the research processes and main achievements related to the "Flyingbirds Poems", this chapter proposes the problems to be further studied and makes a clear definition of "Flyingbirds Poems".Chapter 2 Creative Practice and Context Of "Flyingbirds Poems" This chapter gives a diachronic statement of the creation of "Poems On Birds" in ancient times of China, sorts out its developmental sequence and generalizes the styles, features and variational regularity of "Flyingbirds Poems" in different times since Pre-Qin Dynasty and Song Dynasty.Chapter 3 The Features of the Motif and the Theme of the Image "Flying Birds"By referring to the research methods of motif in the western countries, this chapter studies the partial images which possess the historical heritage and cultural accumulation and show the features of the motif and the theme contained in "Flyingbirds Poems".Chapter 4 Image Collocation in "Flyingbirds Poems"Image Collocation is a big feature in the creation of Chinese ancient poems. In "Flyingbirds Poems", this feature has a unique quality and mostly the images of "the Natural" are collocated, which has distinctive modes of temporal and spatial variation and aesthetic features.Chapter 5 Creative Models and Their Features of "Flyingbirds Poems"In the creative groups of "Flyingbirds Poems" in ancient times, the masters come forth in large numbers, and reveal elegant demeanour. Ruan Ji, Yao Yuanming, Li Bai, Du Fu and Su Shi are all the masters, who were not only the composers of a large number of "Flyingbirds Poems", but also the typical representatives in the areas of the creation of the images and the extension of artistic conception.Chapter 6 "Birds" and the Poetic Thinking"Flyingbirds Poems" of ancient times reflect the rich achievements of the poetic thinking in different historical periods. From the early mysterious interpenetrative thinking, symbolic thinking to the image thinking and the creation of the artistic conception, all of these are marked in the "Flyingbirds Poems" and show the distinctive artistic features.Chapter 7 "Birds" and the Expressions of Poetic Nature"Flyingbirds Poems" present various and outstanding expressions ofpoetic nature by the multeity of visual angles, the abundance of theimages and the diversity of the styles. By this way plentiful poems withelegant demeanour are composed.Chapter 8 "Birds" and the Existence of Poetic NatureThe existence of human beings is an objective form, but it is even theinternal and external blending of the life experiences, which restore to theoriginal aesthetic state about the existence of the human beings."Flyingbirds Poems" by the ancient poets express the gnosis and pursuitof the existence of poetic nature in human beings.