On The Secularized 5-Dynasty Literature

Research on the 5-Dynasty literature on the whole has always been weak, considering that the Dynasty did not last long enough to build up its own literary identity, and that the literature in the Dynasty has always been regarded as subordinated to Tang or Song literature, either suffixing Tang or prefixing Song. This underprivileged state is proved to be an obstacle to the research of the 5-Dynasty literature, frustrating efforts to unveil the Literature on an objective basis. The present paper hence takes upon itself to fill the gap in research.This paper tackles the 5-Dynasty literature (hereinafter referred to as the Literature) as against the settings of literary transference from Tang to Song. Beginning with the secularization event starting from the mid-Tang, this paper discloses the performance of the Literature in the event, with the intention of securing the identity of the Literature in literary history. The evolution of the Literature is mainly explored herein, ranging from the trend of thought, geography, the ideology of literary figures, to evolution of aesthetics. Preface is mainly about definition, general survey of documents and presentation of topic of the present paper.The first chapter deals mainly with the background knowledge of the Literature. The social morals, economy, the strengthened civil awareness, the literary democratization, all added up to the forming of the secular literary circle. Wen Tingjun is studied as a case, because his works exert significant influence on the 5-Dynasty, though he did not belong to the 5-Dynasty. The second chapter goes on to analyze the localities, with emphasis on the southernization, geographical layout of literati and imbalance of literature. Chapter3 analyzes the subject, i.e. the changed role of the writers and the changing of the relation between emotion and ambition. The change of ideology effects the change of role; to be exact, the traditional belief in aspiration fades out, and individual awareness is strengthened with the intention to slip the leash of Confucianism. Huajianbiediao is chosen as a case, for it ideally reflects the unity of emotion and ambition. Chapter4 explores the change of aesthetic which is effected by the change of subject role and the change in the relation between emotion and ambition. Breakthrough appears in arts, waking up individual awareness in the realm of painting and handwriting, and spreads to change the function of literature to amusement, comfort, and practical utility. Hence the gaudy poems and ci, the bitter lyrics, and the communicating works of the period. Chapter5 reflects mainly on the evolution of poetry and ci in the 5-Dynasty, a further analysis on the practical influence of the secularization event on literature, aiming to reveal the role of the Literature in the transition from Tang to Song.The analysis above mentioned points to the conclusion that, as an important element in the secularization event of literature from Tang to Song, the Literature, though inevitably transitional in nature, is not simply linearly transitional. On the contrary, it inherits the Song heritage, and blazes the trail for Song literature, exhibiting the deliberate upward trend, though still at the bottom. Hence the need to re-evaluate and reinstate the Literature.This paper is an integrated research on the rules of literary in the disguise of the literary phenomenon of the 5-Dynasty. Methodologically, macroexamination and case study, document analysis and application of theory are adopted herein.