Six Dynasties Epistolary Prose

In the history of Chinese essay, epistolary essay is one of the special styles,but the study of it is not satisfied , for the case of having no impersonal andcomprehensive appraise, although it was paid more attention from the recentperiod. Based on the present situation of study, my thesis mainly makes a studyof five critical aspect of the epistolary essay in the Han Wei and Six Dynasties,such as how it comes into being ,its development ,its themes and contents , its artcharacteristics, its position in the history of literature . My thesis composes offive parts.Part I: Pointing out the extension of the epistolaiy essay in the Han Wei andSix Dynasties as the base of my study, and describing the transmutation of it.The term of epistolaiy essay used in this article is point to the epistle whichapplied between peoples . The term chidu couldn't generalize this special kind ofwritings, so I take its place with the term of letter essay . In my opinion, the letteressay in the Han Wei and Six Dynasties has its complete developing track, whichcompose of three periods. 1. the rudimentary period /preeminent Qin.Restricted by the condition of society and literature , the letter essay is stillrudimentary~ letter ofwuchen to zjfan belong to private letters. 2. the developingperiod/Qin and Han dynasty. Many writings such as Sima Qian's to RenShaoqing, Yang yun's to Sun Huizong bring new life to this style. During EasternHan period, the production of this style increases rapidly, and folk letter havecome into being. 3 .The full-blown periodlWei Jin and Southern and Northerndynasty. In company with the development of literature, the production ofletter essay presents a splendid sight. On the one hand ,its themes and contentsare very wide, on the other hand, its art forms and means become more perfect ,andwhat's more ,the model for paiting /Yueyitie had come forth.Part II: Discussing the themes and contents of the letter essay in the HanWei and Six Dynasties from five aspects. 1. About literature study. The writerdiscussed some critical problem such as the feature of literature in his works. 2.Depicting one's ideal. The writer's character was exhibited in their letters.Relation between peoples. The letter is a good mean to express peoplesemotion to their family, their friends and lover. 4.Depicting the beautiful sceneryof our country .5.The rest of the style's content. I attempt to acknowledge thestyle's character in reflecting life timely and widely by analyzing therepresentative writers and works.3Part III: Analyzing art characteristic of the letter essay in the Han Wei andSix Dynasties. In my opinion ,it has the writer's character in style, letters couldreflect writer's character easily compared with the other styles. In the aspect ofexpressing one's emotion ,letters could reflect people's sensation externally.Compare with the letters nan-ating simply, the productions those do good incombination between emotion and tenns. The highest aim which the writerspursued is to express pure-hearted emotion by esthetical words. The innovationin the form made the style keeping vernal vigor.Part TV: Expatiating its significance of the letter essay in the Han Wei andSix Dynasties in the histoiy of Chinese literature. First, its practice in productionand theory embodied the character of blurry literature .Second, its position inthe history of literature was established by the means of influencing with eachother such as poem ,fu , fiction.Part V: Describing the developing track after Six Dynasty. In Tang andSong Dynasty, effected by the movement of returning to ancient in literature, theepistolaxy essay modified the aestheticism from Southern dynasty, which madeit had a more wide space to live. The production in this period was rich andcol...