Commentary Of Qian Zhongshu’s Causeries On Poetry In A Garden Study

Qian Zhongshu discussed Yuan Mei’s Causeries on Poetry in a Garden in The Record of Talks on Arts,and expounded his own poetic thoughts.On the one hand,it has explored and opened up the space for the study of Yuan Mei,on the other hand,it has also practiced the research method of "integrating Chinese and Western cultures and linking ancient and modern times".The introduction explains the origin,research significance and research status at home and abroad,and briefly combs the relevant chapters the Causeries on Poetry in a Garden.Qian Zhongshu wrote The Record of Talks on Arts at a time when China’s literary criticism was in the transition period from classical to modern.He extensively adopted western learning to interpret China’s ancient literary theory,and used "Poetry Talk" to interpret Causeries on Poetry in a Garden,and to interpret Yuan Mei’s outline of poetry,and at the same time expounded his understanding of the important categories of China’s poetics.The first chapter discusses Qian Zhongshu’s criticism of Yuan Mei’s theory of "spiritual nature".According to the related discussion and background of Causeries on Poetry in a Garden,this paper explains what "spiritual nature" is and the "frivolous and narrow evil" criticism caused by it.And then explores Qian Zhongshu’s discussion on "spiritual nature".He paid close attention to Yuan Mei’s attitude towards "spiritual nature" and learning,and pointed out that Yuan Mei and Zhang Xuecheng’s inner scholarship ideas were "identical",and sublimated "spiritual nature" into "spiritual and handy" theory,and criticized Croce’s "intuition is expression" from this theory.It is pointed out that from "the phase of art" to "the god of art",it is necessary not only to imagine the meaning in your mind,but also to write it down.The second chapter,based on Yuan Mei’s criticism of Zen and reason,expounds Qian Zhongshu’s understanding of Zen and reason in poetry.Yuan Mei didn’t like Buddhism,but Qian Zhongshu discussed the coincidence of Yuan Mei’s poetic thinking and Buddhism according to Causeries on Poetry in a Garden."Interest in reason in poetry" is also the focus of Qian Zhongshu’s discussion.He denied Yuan Mei’s interpretation of "reason" as "morality",and then explained the meaning,expression and artistic effect of "interest in reason" in detail.The key to Zen and reason in poetry lies in interest,but it is also inseparable from language metaphor.The third chapter analyzes the poetic dynasties of Yuan Mei and Qian Zhongshu.The dispute of poetry dynasties was caused by the change of poetry.Facing the dispute of which is better or worse in Tang and Song Dynasties,Yuan Mei viewed the change from a developmental perspective and thought that the "factual evolution" of poetry was a historical necessity.Qian Zhongshu thought that "factual evolution" was different from "cultural evolution",and their different theoretical starting points lead to differences in theory.However,Yuan Mei’s "poetry is clumsy,regardless of ancient and modern times",and Qian Zhongshu’s view is that "poetry is different in physique,but it is in tune with the world",and they all paid attention to the elements of "emotion" in poetry,which has internal consistency and shows the inheritance and new changes of China’s basic poetics theory.Qian Zhongshu pays close attention to all aspects and attaches importance to specific materials.His understanding and elucidation of Causeries on Poetry in a Garden broadened the horizon and path of Yuan Mei’s research,enriched the category and content of ancient poetic criticism,restored the historical context,excavated the broken pieces of gold,and at the same time,integrated ancient and modern Chinese and Western,seeking "communication" instead of "similarity".