Secret Of The Frivolous And Gorgeous Style

This thesis expounds the characteristics of Xiao Gang's Gongti Poetry from the angle oftexts, arguing that the formation of the Frivolous and Gorgeous Style is mainly due to thesubjective absence of the poetry.There have been diverged opinions regarding the definition of Gongti Poetry inacademic circle, whether to define it in a narrow sense or a broad sense. Therefore, to havea specific object and scope in this thesis, it is necessary to trace back and distinguish theformation of the two concepts so as to define the denotative and connotative meanings. Thethesis states that there is a limit of times in studying Gongti Poetry, which starts from XiaoGang, prevails in Liang and Chen Periods, and fades in the early Tang Dynasty. It alsoconforms to another standard that its content deals with females or their feelings, or thoseexpressed through some objects;its style is gorgeous, featured by being amorous, revealing,and frivolous in language, pursuing non-political materials and popular emotions. Those thatmight satisfy the standards may be regarded as Gongti Poetry, which is represented by XiaoGang.Four representations are analyzed comparatively in context concerning the subjectiveabsence of Xiao Gang's Gongti Poetry. First, the absence of subjective feelings --comparedwith folksongs and the poetry in Wei and Jin periods, Xiao Gang's Gongti Poetry lacksintense and genuine passions. Second, the absence of the stamp of subjective personality --the subjective style is relatively less striking. Third, the absence of the favor of subjectiveanchorage --compared with the poetry in other periods, its materials in intoning objects anddepicting scenery lack the favor of the anchorage of life and subjective feelings. Last, theabsence of the subjective expression --there are fewer objects that may be converted toimages, therefore, lacking in artistic combination of feelings and scenery. Besides, there aremore narrations centered around the characteristics of the objects rather than the subjectivemoods, and the descriptions are lacking in imagination.The causes of the subjective absence of Xiao gang's Gongti Poetry are then analyzedin the aspects of social politics, thoughts and literature. The social causes include thedeconstruction of the subjective feelings in the development of metaphysics, the dilution ofthe subjective feelings in the prevalence of Buddhism, and the exhaustion of the subjectivefeelings with the decline and corruption of the Gentry class. The literary causes are presentedby the absorption of the skills in rhapsody without a satisfied confluence, which inconsequence causes its diversion from lyric features to objects.An objective evaluation is given to the subjective absence of Xiao Gang's GongtiPoetry in a literary and historical perspective.