The Study On Ai Nanying And The Collection Of Tian Yong Zi

This article takes Ai Nanying and The Collection of Tian Yong Zi as the study subjects. Firstly, it makes a brief introduction of Ai Nanying's biographical sketch and his works. Secondly, it analyzes how the Collection of Tian Yong Zi came down historically and compares the differences among its major editions. Thirdly, it focuses on exploring Ai Nanying's theories of eight-part essay, then concludes his theoretical system that indicates the application of ancient prose to eight-part essay. Finally, this article has also discussed its contents and themes as well as its stylistic characteristics. Based on them, it attempts to seek the possible reasons why The Collection of Tian Yong Zi has not been known widely till now. Through the study of the above, on one hand we can understand Ai Nanying himself and his works more objectively and carefully, on the other hand we can also comprehend the eight-part essay that prevailed at the end of The Ming Dynasty further and more roundly.