On Essays Of Spirituality By Yuan Mei

The description of spirituality is one of the main themes in Chinese ancient poetry. However, many essays of spirituality can be found in the essays written by Yuan Mei, the leader of Poetry of Spirituality School in Qing Dynasty. Essays of spirituality account for one tenth of Yuan Mei's works. With particular features, the essays of this kind are quite different from other ones in the nature, theme, form and expression ways.Yuan Mei's essays of spirituality show both real sentiments and inspiration. Generally speaking, the factors of real sentiments are relatively prominent in the essays which express one's aspiration and interest, the attitude towards life, mourning for relatives or the sentiments to teachers and friends, and the factors of inspiration are particularly obvious in works describing natural scenery. It means that special emphasis may be laid on the features of works due to the variety of the writer's feelings or the difference between the subjects of description. Sentiments and inspiration are embodiment of Spirituality.Coming into being in a particular background of ideology, Yuan Mei's essays of spirituality are the result of development of essays and also closely related to his own character, talent and his view of literature. The value of his essays of spirituality can be mainly embodied in the following three aspects: Firstly, the essay of spirituality is the successful practice of theory of poetry of spirituality in essay field. Secondly, at Yuan Mei's times, the essay of spirituality is quite different from the fashion. Thirdly, the essay of spirituality strengthens the function of aesthetic perception of literary works, and it has great value of aesthetic.