See Tao Dong's Self-exploration Through Tao Yuanming

The shift change of life through Wutai Poem Case opened a new window for Su Dongpo. To be more correct, It makes him know a man-Tao Yuanming. Henceforth, Su Dongpo read works of Tao Yuanming thoroughly, reviewed his works, quoted his works, expressed the same idea as Tao, and even pursed the way his works expressed, which deepened his understanding both to Tao and himself. The restore to the process of the self-exploring of Su which took Tao as lens (specific including three aspects: behavior, poet and learning) can define the degree of Tao's the influence on Su, as well as clarifying the changes experienced by Su after self-exploring taking Tao as an example. As a result, Su can be further known by people.This thesis will introduce some background information about why Su would take Tao as an example for self-exploration and make some literary review, besides, it will extend the analysis in the next three chapters:The first chapter tells Su's exploration, change, and reinforceent for conducting himself and human's virtue. Su expressed his elegant and righteous virtue by combining his proud and perseverance with Tao's relaxing and free idea of" leisurely lying to the north window". Taking Tao's wine, Su further highlight the " true", " fitness", and "seclusion" and some other implication of life rested in Tao's works. The conversation across time and space about the affection of family, friends, neighborhood and nostalgia for the past time between Tao and Su is the powerful representation of Su's gentle but impressive feeling.Chapter 2 analyzes the conversation about materials, style, and essence of poem between the two poets, and the influence of this conversation on Su's creation. As the leading person of literary circle in Earlier Song Dynasty, Su not only had the creative spirit and responsibility to lead the trends of literary, but also owned the need to express himself due to his interests and experiences. Moreover, Because of his fluctuated sufferings in his life, Su turned his attention to the most excellent poet in the history: Tao Yuanming after experiencing such a dramatic change. Through Tao's works, Su conversed with Tao beyond time and space, then he devoted himself to his poem creation. As a result, Su expanded his scope of his works, intensified the natural and fresh style, and strengthened the essence of poem for entertaining and teaching.Chapter 3 emphasizes in analyzing how Su interpreted Tao in the perspective of Buddhism, which balanced his adoption of Buddhism, and shows the meditation on being a man and a subject, on returning home, and on death and life under the influence of Tao. Non-string Qin reflected the innocence and free state of Tao, while no qin is the transcendence of tracks of life by interpreting " nothing" from the perspective of Buddhism. Meanwhile, Su adjusted his point of view on Buddhism by taking Tao as medium. Through poem and buddhism, Su meditated some important question, such as being a subject and seclusion, and put it into practice, thus he can live a peaceful life while enriching the life.