A Study on the Min School of Tongguang ti

The Min School of Tongguang ti was one of the regional schools of Tongguang ti poetry. In works of Chinese literary history, Tongguang ti has all along been treated as a whole. The focus of related studies has also been on the Guangxu and Xuantong period as well as few important poets such as Chen Yan, Chen Sanli, Shen Zengzhi, and Zheng Xiaoxu. Although scholars like Qian Zhonglian had brought up the idea of poetry schools division within Tongguang ti, and had preliminary discussions on the Min School, a comprehensive study of the Min School and, in particular, an investigation of its situation during the later period are still lacking. This thesis strives to launch a comprehensive study on the Min School of Tongguang ti. With reference to the then general political and cultural background, as well as the local culture and poetic tradition, we would reveal the course of formation and development, poetic ideas and artistic characteristics of the Min School, and its influence on the modern and contemporary worlds of poetry. A significant part is also dedicated to explore the development of the Min School during its later period, which is seldom discussed by former scholars.;This thesis contains eight chapters. The first chapter defines the concept and nature of the Min School, and, with the help of previous studies, further identifies 123 fundamental members of Min School as targets of our study.;Instead of using a general perspective of literary history, Chapters Two to Four approach the formation and development of the Min School in terms of regional consciousness, family education, marital ties and literary activities. Chapter Two puts forward the idea that the establishment of Min School rests on the concept of sectarian consciousness suggested by Chen Yan's poetics, although he did not explicitly propose the title "Min School". By conducting statistic and poetic analyses, this chapter illustrates that Shiyishi shihua and Jindai shichao by Chen Yan are not only, as commonly believed by scholars, modern notes on poetry and poetry anthologies, but also reflect a distinct regional consciousness. Chapter Three reveals the kinship and poetic inheritance among the key poets of the Min School, namely Chen Yan, Chen Baochen, Zheng Xiaoxu, Shen Yuqing, Guo Zengxin, and Zeng Keduan. This chapter specially uses two neglected family collections, Houguan Guo shi jiaji huike and Eli Zeng shi shiyishi shi , as examples to unravel the hidden internal clan ties and the unique way of family poetic inheritance. Chapter Four elaborates the general characteristics of the Min School and the development of Song-advocating poetic belief, by referring to the poetic activities in Fuzhou and Peking. A special study on the renovation and increased worship of Fuzhou wanzai tang poetry niche during the early Republican period, the establishment of Shuoshishe, and Shuoshishe shilu is conducted to reveal the development and the distinct regional consciousness of the Min School in Fuzhou.;Chapters Five and Six study the uniqueness of Min School's poetics and poems, and its relation to the culture of Min poetics. Chapter Five discusses the poetic views of Min School from three aspects, namely the poetic views of Tang and Song dynasties, integration of scholastic and poetic poems, and bianfeng bianya (the Airs and Elegantiae of a stage of change). It points out that the "Sanyuan Theory" of Min School is unique in the sense that it advocated the Song poetry, and at the same time took reference of the Tang poetry. The so-called "essence of Song poetry" actually means the Song poems which integrate the Tang and Song poetic styles, but not only the modern-style poems of Song Dynasty. Therefore, Min School's idea of integration of Tang and Song is not only about the poetics advocated, but also the poetic style. Chapter Six explains and compares the qingcang youqiao style of the Min School with the shenyou guqiaostyle of the Jingling School, revealing the adoption of both Tang and Song poetics and the geographical origin of Min School.;Chapter Seven discusses the situation of Min School in the later period, a topic rarely talked about in academia. This chapter examines the poetic activities of Min School poets in places like Fuzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong in the later period. Centering on such neglected poetic works as Shuoguoting Chongjiu chouchang ji by Li Xuangong, Yangjuge shi by Liang Hongzhi, Lingfengyi shi by Huang Chun and Songjulu shi by Zeng Keduang, it also investigates the passing on and development of Min School's Song-advocating poetics in this period. Attention is also drawn to the poetics and poems of Huang Jun and Liang Hongzhi, who were referred to as traitors. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).