Poetry and its Significance in Chinese Literature - Essay Example

Poetry and its significance in Chinese literature Poetry is an integral part of Chinese literature and was an art form in China and is still revered today. The poem often composed the poem, printed it in the calligraphy script and then also drew an illustration that best describes the theme of this poetry. This image could stand for the central theme but could also signify what the poet was actually aiming to mean with his composition. Poetry in Chinese literature has often been used to describe thoughts and details that defined culture for the Chinese. Even so, it was vastly different from the poetry written by the Greeks and Romans; which were mostly histories about Gods and Goddesses or battles and voyages. Chinese poetry often talks about themes like the balance of life, yin and the yang, the divinity that is found in animals, birds and even inanimate objects. Spirituality is a very common theme in most Chinese poetry, if not literature as a whole. Chinese poetry has traditionally been divided into the shi, ci and qu schools of thought. Using a strict combination of tone, rhythm and couplets the classical poets set out to create the wonder that was their world. They described their love for ascribing qualities to all the different animals like loyalty to a dog and wisdom to a monkey; they described the wonder of nature, human frailties and much more. But more often than not, the inanimate world was used as a metaphor for what was happening in the poet’s real world; much like it happens today. The artistic conception can be a very interesting way to decipher the world as it was then. The garden for example was used with a variety of connotations ; from being the haven for lovers, to the refuge of the homeless; from the dream of an aesthete to a spiritual abode. The ancient Chinese had extreme feelings about historical events, both happy or sad; similarly then their literature too was very profound. The people, their spirit, the values, traditions and wisdom that were passed down through generations found an immediate outlet through poetry. Unfortunately though, most of the early poem anthologies were destroyed and a lot of valuable literature was lost forever. Emperor Qin Shihuang’s oppressive ideologies that involved burning books he didn’t approve of; killing scholars who defied him and banning the entire philosophy of Confucianism didn’t allow this great art to flourish. This has therefore given even more credence to the Shi Jing and Chu Ci that date to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, respectively. The poets refused to go down without a fight and the poetry found after that era talked about rebellion masked under words that could be interpreted as much less. The Classic of Odes or Shi Jing was one the first poem collections with around 305 poems that covered the early Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 711 BC) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC). It is widely respected as the focal point of Chinese literature and is quoted in many Chinese texts as moral lessons. In fact the very famous Art of War scholar Sun Tsu used many of these poems as a part of his widely-read 300 Tang Poems. The poems however are more then just a pretty turn of phrase; with every poem you get a thorough understanding of all the different classes of old China; they have been talked about with beauty and respect to bring out a picture that has no pretence. Another important poem collection was the Chu Ci, or the Songs of the South. Its origin has been traced to around 300 years after The Classic of Odes. The scholar Liu Xiang of Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24) was attributed to have finished this work. He made this collection by collecting the works of the noted poet Qu Yuan and his disciple Song Yu. Chu Ci’s poems seem to be inspired by the songs found in the record of the southern state Chu during the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC). Qu Yuan was a philosopher who is till this day thought of as a great patriotic poet and statesman. But his story had a tragic ending and is documented in the beautifully-constructed poem Li Sao. The poem tells the story of how though talented, Qu Yuan was never given a position of respect and nobility as he was a frank and straight-forward man. Treachery of those jealous of his intelligence led him down a path of continual failures and the poem ends with his tragic suicide in the Miluo River. The poem effectively captures the disappointment, sorrow, hopelessness and wrath of this life. This poem was an effective commentary against the corrupt officials who were above law. This collection of poems was seen to galvanise the lower classes into making units that would take care of the other. People stopped going to local officials for help and advice and often turned to the citizens amongst them whom they truly trusted. From the lower working class of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) came the poetry anthology called Yuefu that combined simple language with expressive lyrics and storylines. For the lower classes, poetry was a way of release. There are strong elements that suggest the problems people were going through but a buoyant feeling of hope can also be established through the recurring themes of the win of good over evil; the necessity of rebellion against unjust systems and how these rebellions can lead to an everlasting peace. The most prominent parts of this anthology are: Mo Shang Sang: which is the story of a beautiful woman who rejects flirtatious officials in her wait for her one true love and is a glowing tribute towards her faith and inner beauty. Lo-fu hsing states that the poem is formed of lines with irregular length and that has been found to be varying from three to six syllables. Lo-fu hsing states that this was representing the attempt of the singer to stimulate the sufferers choking voice. Orphan’s Song: which a poem where an orphan recounts the tragedy of losing his parents; his feelings on being left behind; even though he has a brother and sister-in-law to love him. A Pair of Peacocks Southeast Fly: which is a beautiful poem praising a couple that is so in love that the restrictions imposed on them by their parents cannot do anything to waver their determination to be together. Hans H. Frankel states that “Southeast Fly the Peacocks,” also titled “Chiao Chung-ching’s Wife,” is one of the most remarkable poems in the Chinese language. Hans H. Frankel also says that “it is the longest narrative poem prior to the Tun-huang ballads of the Tang Dynasty”.Hans H. Frankelstates that” it is unique among the early yue-fu poems in its elaborate narration, composed with great literary skill”.Hans H. Frankel states that “the domestic tragedy it relates has moved readers through the ages and it of great interest from the viewpoints of literary history, social history, and social psychology”. The above are social commentaries that wished to show people the importance of character. The acceptance of love in its many forms was a common theme at the time and this maybe because the poets wished people to come closer. Zhan Cheng Nan: which is a complaint about the cruelty and terror of war; it even talks about how battles where thousands are lost are hollow and unnecessary. Ancient Chinese constantly reeled under the pressure of war and there were many poets that exhorted youngsters to stay away from fruitless wars. The Han style originated under the Han dynasty; which was one of the first powerful empires. The poems were an accurate summation of the optimism that permeated the atmosphere in those days. Though verbose, the poetry gives an in-depth look into the abundance of resources; the beautiful courts and nobility and the grand ambitions of the empire. The Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) poetry was truly at the pinnacle of development and comprised an ideal coming together of both imagination and reality, as the authors came from all walks of life. There is poetry written by emperors, officials and monks written alongside those by peasants, fishermen and even children. And they talk about everything from politics, leadership, the past, the present, the future and even mundane things like life on the streets. Depending upon the period of its development, the Tang era of poetry can be classified into four groups Early Tang Dynasty: The style of poetry was revised to tone down the verbosity and truly capture the essence of the feeling behind the poem. The Four Talents - Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, Luo Binwang, and Lu Zhaolin were extremely gifted poets who changed the nature of poetry. Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Poems of this era were optimistic and cheerful missives that reflected the happy environment and lauded the empire for a prosperous economy. Poets that truly made an impact at this time were Li Bai who is called the ‘Supernatural Being of Poem’ and his Jing Ye Si (Thoughts on the Silent Night) is still popular; the others were Du Fu, Wang Wei and Cui Hao. Du Fu (AD 712-70), who was a self-proclaimed failure is now considered as one of the all-time favorite poets of all time. He became a minor civil servant uprooted by the An Lu-shan rebellion that destroyed the first T’ang dynasty. He was usually very close to starvation. The civil war opened his eyes to the sufferings of the common people. Corruption and nepotism at the court prompted a rebellion, that was led by the general, An Lu-shan, this upset the Tang empire and a prolonged era of internal strife brought Tang dynastic rule to an end in 907. Mid-Tang Dynasty: This era was marked with rebellions and poets tried to divert people’s attention from politics to trivial daily life issues, and went on to help people to keep up their spirits and believe in the power of hope. Poets like Po Chü-i satirised the social structure with his poem The Old Charcoal Seller. He brought into focus the injustices of the system that people had to live with, often going without basic necessities while the rich enjoyed all the luxuries. Looking back Po Chü-I can easily be seen as a poet-philosopher who began the process of the peoples’ realisation of an unjust reign. Another one of his poems, Passing T’ien-Men Street in Ch’ang-an talks about the people being so busy in earning their daily bread, they don’t have any time to appreciate the beauty of nature. It is in simple words that he made the people aware of the injustices they didn’t really need to suffer. Late Tang Dynasty: The slow decay in the government was reflected in the poems of that time; the helplessness and hopelessness of the people also influencing the language and feelings of the poetry. Poets like Li Shang Yin and Du Mu wrote about beauty, about fatuous rulers and about nostalgia about the older times. Su Tung-p’o (1036-1101 CE) wrote a scathing poem about the utter contempt he felt about the cabinet ministers. Sons of the wealthy often got into politics and earned more than their fathers; but Su Tung-p’o commented cynically on the system Families, when a child is born Want it to be intelligent I, through intelligence, Having wrecked my whole life, Only hope the baby will prove Ignorant and stupid. Then he will crown a tranquil life By becoming a Cabinet Minister. Chinese civilization doesn’t really give full credence to its women. A number of Chinese women put forward their problems in poems that came to be considered classics. In this song, Fu Hsüan: Woman; the poet says how being a woman is just not enough to be thought of as important. It aimed to help women start thinking for themselves. Conclusion and Argument The Chinese have always turned to poetry to understand their environment and their rich culture in this art form has never let them down. Much of their knowledge of history understandably comes from poetry; why wouldn’t it considering the rich tapestry that has been woven around their past by wordsmiths like Li Bai and Du Fu. Bei Dao,1981 ,states that“Poets should build up a world of their own in their own works”. Bei Dao,1981 ,states that “This is a world of sincerity and peculiarity, a world of integrity, a world of justice and humanity". Shu Ting,1980, states that“Today, people are in urgent need of respect, trust, and care”. Shu Ting,1980, states that” I am willing to express my concern for people by writing poems”. Shu Ting,1980, states that “I believe that men can achieve mutual understanding because the way to the human heart can ultimately be paved.” The two statements clearly show the sense of mission and anxiety over the national culture and the value that is placed on the environment by the Chinese poets.There are other counter arguments to this statement.Li states that ““when I compose in my daily life, I do not intend to seek or express truth but try to elaborate on my moods and play with words”.Li also adds that the role of poet is to “is to portray his own world faithfully, so his creation of the world of beauty is for the sake of art rather than for the construction of society.” Reference List Liu, WC and Lo, IY, 1990, Sunflower splendor: three thousand years of Chinese poetry Yang, X, 2003, Metamorphosis of the private sphere: gardens and objects in Tang-Song poetry Liu, JY, 1966, The Art of Chinese Poetry. Yip, WL, 1997, Chinese Poetry: An Anthology of Major Modes and Genres Brians, P et al. 1999, Reading About the World, Vol. 1, 3rd edition, Harcourt Brace College Publishing The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics Neinhuaser, Hartman et al, 1998, The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature Cooper, a, 1973, Li Po and Tu Fu Miller, B, 1994, Masterworks of Asian Literature Watson B, 1984, The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry Owen, S, 1977, The Great Age of Chinese Poetry Graham, AC, 1965, Poems of the Late T’ang Hans H. Frankel,1974, The Chinese Ballad “Southeast Fly the Peacocks.” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 34, pp. 248-271. Lo-fu hsing. (2009). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 10, 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/345284/Lo-fu-hsing Bei Dao,1981, “Youth Poetics,” Fujian Literature (“Qingchun shi lun,” Fujian wenyi),Vol 1,pp.62 Shu Ting,1980, “Youth Poetry Recitation,” Journal of Poetry (“Qingchun shi song,” Shikan) Vol.10 PP. 53. Li Jinfa,1935, “Questions and Answers on Poetry,” Art Gallery (“Shi wenda,” Yishu huabao) Vol.1(3),pp. 23. Read More

He made this collection by collecting the works of the noted poet Qu Yuan and his disciple Song Yu. Chu Ci’s poems seem to be inspired by the songs found in the record of the southern state Chu during the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC). Qu Yuan was a philosopher who is till this day thought of as a great patriotic poet and statesman. But his story had a tragic ending and is documented in the beautifully-constructed poem Li Sao. The poem tells the story of how though talented, Qu Yuan was never given a position of respect and nobility as he was a frank and straight-forward man.

Treachery of those jealous of his intelligence led him down a path of continual failures and the poem ends with his tragic suicide in the Miluo River. The poem effectively captures the disappointment, sorrow, hopelessness and wrath of this life. This poem was an effective commentary against the corrupt officials who were above law. This collection of poems was seen to galvanise the lower classes into making units that would take care of the other. People stopped going to local officials for help and advice and often turned to the citizens amongst them whom they truly trusted.

From the lower working class of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) came the poetry anthology called Yuefu that combined simple language with expressive lyrics and storylines. For the lower classes, poetry was a way of release. There are strong elements that suggest the problems people were going through but a buoyant feeling of hope can also be established through the recurring themes of the win of good over evil; the necessity of rebellion against unjust systems and how these rebellions can lead to an everlasting peace.

The most prominent parts of this anthology are: Mo Shang Sang: which is the story of a beautiful woman who rejects flirtatious officials in her wait for her one true love and is a glowing tribute towards her faith and inner beauty. Lo-fu hsing states that the poem is formed of lines with irregular length and that has been found to be varying from three to six syllables. Lo-fu hsing states that this was representing the attempt of the singer to stimulate the sufferers choking voice. Orphan’s Song: which a poem where an orphan recounts the tragedy of losing his parents; his feelings on being left behind; even though he has a brother and sister-in-law to love him.

A Pair of Peacocks Southeast Fly: which is a beautiful poem praising a couple that is so in love that the restrictions imposed on them by their parents cannot do anything to waver their determination to be together. Hans H. Frankel states that “Southeast Fly the Peacocks,” also titled “Chiao Chung-ching’s Wife,” is one of the most remarkable poems in the Chinese language. Hans H. Frankel also says that “it is the longest narrative poem prior to the Tun-huang ballads of the Tang Dynasty”.Hans H. Frankelstates that” it is unique among the early yue-fu poems in its elaborate narration, composed with great literary skill”.Hans H. Frankel states that “the domestic tragedy it relates has moved readers through the ages and it of great interest from the viewpoints of literary history, social history, and social psychology”.

The above are social commentaries that wished to show people the importance of character. The acceptance of love in its many forms was a common theme at the time and this maybe because the poets wished people to come closer. Zhan Cheng Nan: which is a complaint about the cruelty and terror of war; it even talks about how battles where thousands are lost are hollow and unnecessary. Ancient Chinese constantly reeled under the pressure of war and there were many poets that exhorted youngsters to stay away from fruitless wars.

The Han style originated under the Han dynasty; which was one of the first powerful empires. The poems were an accurate summation of the optimism that permeated the atmosphere in those days. Though verbose, the poetry gives an in-depth look into the abundance of resources; the beautiful courts and nobility and the grand ambitions of the empire.

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