Wei, Jin, Southern And Northern Dynasties, A Study Of The Relationship Between Literary Theories, Books And Theories

This thesis aims to explore and analyze the common concerns and equally important theoretical problems coexisted in the literature and calligraphy of the Wei-Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties,with some of them more discussed in literary theory while others profoundly explored in calligraphic theory,and in the meantime,a full consideration is given to their relevant and distinctive influences and implications on the history of both Chinese literary theory and Chinese calligraphic theory.Admittedly,this is a calligraphy thesis,more emphasis is inevitably attached to the elucidation and interpretation of key topics and problems of calligraphic theory.The thesis begins with the introduction of the value and significance of this topic,research status and literature review,then the research strategies and approaches,the main contents,and finally clarifies the relationship between each chapter.Chapter one,“The Relationship of the Wei-Jin Literary Theory and Calligraphic Theory”,traces the shared life experiences and predicaments of the literati,including writers,literary theorists,calligraphers,and calligraphy theorists,discusses their compatible aesthetic taste,artists’ versatility,artistic and human awakening,artistic autonomy and personality independence,discovers the relevant influences of Confucian doctrine “Noble virtue breeds high achievement” on the status of literature,calligraphy,as well as writers and calligraphers.Chapter two,“The Distinctions of Literary theory and Calligraphy Theory”,explores the diverse meanings of image and language as unique media to the aesthetic values of calligraphy and literature,such as Lu Ji’s Wen Fu and Ping Fu Tie,Cao Zhi’s Luoshen Fu and Wang Xianzhi’s Thirteen Line-Luoshen Fu,and the distinctive beauty of literariness and calligraphic quality in Lan Ting.Chapter three,“The Wei-Jin Style and Wei-Jin Calligraphic Charm”,discusses the different aesthetic styles in the Wei-Jin literary theory and Calligraphic theory,plus with the case studies of the stylistic and individual problems in the masterpieces of both literature and calligraphy,for instance,the analyses and comparisons of the colorfully embellished style and chastely lotus-like style;gorgeously charming style and simple and unadorned style,which are completely different aesthetic styles with respective calligraphic beauty and literature beauty.Specifically,they are the concrete manifestation of the pursuit of individuality in the Wei-Jin literature and calligraphy,and the results of life-long cultivation of distinct style and unique personality,not the heritage from the elder generations,as stated in Cao Pi’s Canon: Literary Writings.Chapter four,“Abstracting Images from Viewing in Literary and Calligraphic Theories of the Wei-Jin and Southern-Northern Dynasties”,mainly discusses the problems of following the law of nature and imitation of Nature,with the purpose to demonstrate the aesthetic values of literature and calligraphy in light of the beauty of natural images and human body,especially the bone,flesh,sinew,skin,vigor and spirit of human body.Chapter five,“The Identity and Contradiction of individual virtues,literary and calligraphic quality in the Wei-Jin and Southern-Northern Dynasties”,focuses on the dictum that the style is the man,namely,the writing mirrors the writer or calligrapher.The discussions and argumentations over literary quality and individual virtues,artistic achievements versus personality and morality,run through the ancient Chinese literary theory and calligraphic theory,a fairly systematic discussion originating from Wen Xin Diao Long: Cheng Qi chapter.In the history of the development of ancient Chinese literary theory and calligraphic theory,the classical style and romantic style,the Confucian principle of the unity of beauty and virtue and the doctrine of the mean,appreciation judgment and value judgment,are all intersected with the criticism and appreciation of ancient Chinese calligraphy and literature.And it is the basic principle of Wen Xin Diao Long: Tong Bian to adhere to the combination of the canon and alteration,arguing that literary creation must fully absorb the essence of traditional classics and make proper and suitable alterations,ultimately adapt to the needs of the times.Only in this way can we innovate on the basis of inheriting the tradition and create new and well-timed artistic works.Precisely,this is the key theoretical deliberation and argumentation over the distinctive styles of the two artists surnamed Wang,and also remains the core problem throughout the ancient Chinese calligraphic and literary theories.