The Study Of Zi Bu Yu

In the literary novel community in Qing Dynasty, "Zi Bu Yu"written by Yuan Mei alongside "Strange Stories" and "YueweiCottage Notes" are considered the greatest in that era.Concentrating on the Qianlong and Jiaqing period when Yuan Meidid his composing, this paper contains classification,analysis of "Zi Bu Yu" and describes the process was writtenintegrated with his life and thought. The paper furtherconcludes his idealistic and idealistic style and artisticachievements, and contains a comparison as well as a review ofthese in the history of literary novels. This work alsoclarifies the status and achievement in the literary novelworld. The introduction part of this thesis mainly introducesYuan Mei and the research situations of his masterpiece Zi BuYu, literally meaning "what Confucius doesn't say" Thispart also summarizes the main content of this thesis.Chapter one centers on Yuan Mei' s life, his familybackgrounds and the creation of Zi Bu Yu. This chapter makessome research on the thoughts and cultural backgrounds of YuanMei's ancestors. Then the chapter analyzes the beginningeducation he received from his family elders in order to outlinehis growing up, his thoughts and his literary conceptions.Finally, the chapter analyzes further how the above-mentionedfactors influenced Yuan Mei's motivation of creating Zi Bu Yuand the source of the subject matter.Chapter two centers on the profound cultural meanings andthoughts of Zi Bu Yu. This chapter analyzes the culturalmeanings and thoughts of Zi Bu Yu from the following three angles: 1) The ultimate care towards human life and the severecriticism on imperial examination system' s suppressinghumanity in Zi Bu Yu show that the book expresses great respecton human life and individuality; 2) The anti-asceticism ideasreflected in Zi Bu Yu and Yuan Mei's liberal concepts on womenand wealth are used to criticize the idealist philosophy of theSong and Ming dynasties and correct the corrupt and outdatedideas; 3) Based on the world of ghosts and gods created by YuanMei in Zi Bu Yu, the thesis analyzes Yuan Mei's contradictoryviews on ghosts and gods——he employs ghosts and godsto satirethe human world, but at the same time, he doubts theirsupremacy——and why he had these views.Chapter three centers on the artistic achievements of ZiBu Yu. 1) The thesis analyzes in detail the unreserved andsincere esthetic orientation of Zi Bu Yu and the factors leadingto the orientation; 2) The thesis elaborates the stylisticfeatures of Zi Bu Yu which are characterized by funny lightcomedy and humor intended for euphemistic criticism; 3) Thethesis summarizes the varied and intelligent artistictechniques in Zi Bu Yu which are embodied by simplicity andstraightforwardness, realism and surrealism, and satire.