Southernization Of Literature In Middle And Late Tang Dynasty

Tradition ancient Chinese literary studies concerned more about the litterateurs, the contents of literatures, the style, as well as the development and evolution of literature. It concerned less about the broader space, especially literary transformation brought by evolution of space. In fact, Chinese literature has been in an intricate context composed by natural and human geographical environment. If we just pay attention to time issue and neglect spatial orientation, our research will be one-dimensional.If we observe the literature of the entire Tang dynasty from regional and spatial perspectives, it is not difficult to find that the literary center transfers gradually from north to south after the middle Tang dynasty. This phenomenon manifests in many aspects:more and more northerners have life experience in south; more and more poems are composed in the south; more and more southern folks and customs present in poetry, along with the development of southern native literature. Literatures relevant to the south have increasingly hold a large proportion in the whole country. Such a phenomenon directly promotes the southernization of literature in the middle and late Tang Dynasty. The southernization discussed in this dissertation means the rise and development of southern literature since the middle and late Tang dynasty.The southernization has two related meanings. First, it means the increase of southern litterateurs, and the rise and development of southern literary. Second, it means the southernization of literary imagery, style, and of creative mentality and aesthetic taste of authors. The southernization results in the dilution of regional style of southern literature.This dissertation is divided into six chapters. Chapter one outlines the research objects, the meanings and methods. Then gives an academic review in this subject, and finally introduces the research approaches.Chapter two is based on the geographic distribution of southern poets and poetry. Its intention is to show activities of southern literary creation. Its visual angle shifts from the static and dynamic, from plane to three-dimensional, from unilateralism to pluralism.The third chapter firstly shows a list of statistics of native poets and poetry creation in the east Jiangnan Dao. Secondly, it discusses the decline of native literature in Runzhou, and its flourish in Hangzhou, its rise in Fujian province, its steady development in Suzhou, as well as the poetic parties and composition of connected couplets since middle and late Tang Dynasty. Finally, it discusses the migration of northerners to the south.Chapter fourth describes native literature in Jiangnan Dao, west Shannan Dao, Huainan Dao, Jiannan Dao, Lingnan Dao. It also discusses the causes of its flourish in Yuanzhou of west Jiangnan Dao, and its decline in Huainan Dao and Jiannan Dao since the late Tang Dynasty.Chapter five analyzes the relationship between relegation and southern literature. Since middle Tang dynasty, political instability results in many relegated litterateurs. This phenomenon had a major impact on the southernization of literature. This chapter mainly concerns about five major poets:Liu-yu-xi, Liu-zong-yuan, Yuan-zhen, Bai-ju-yi, Han-yu, and discusses the impacts of relegated litterateurs on southern literature.Chapter six discusses the impacts of political changes on literature in the middle and late Tang dynasty. The main development in this period is the employment of litterateurs by bureaucrats. This chapter selects the most famous poets Li-shang-yin and Du-mu as the objects, who have been employed for many times by different bureaucrats. Then investigates the influences of employment career on their literary creation.