Sumen Six Disciples Prose Research

Sumen six disciples referred to those people who were Huang Tingjian, Qin Guan, Chao Buzhi, Zhang Lei, Chen Shidao and Li Zhi. They were masters of literature in the Northern Song Dynasty. With getting together to Sumen successively during the period of XiNing in the Northern Song Dynasty, they started to make friends in literature between teachers and students and became an important group of literary creation in literary world in mid and late Northern Song Dynasty. Sushi led literature world and entrusted the hopes and the responsibilities of literature heritage to Sumen six disciples. With distinct personalities and different styles in prose creation, six disciples also met all Sushi’s expectations. They enriched and developed the ancient prose art tradition and finished their historical mission.The transition of the disciplines from generation to generation between six disciples and Sushi constituted the profound influences towards their lives and writing career. They had been through the Northern Song Dynasty party strife, coexistence life suffering, commonly casting the gentleman’s personality like pure gold and jewels. There were many contributions and creativities on the prose theory and writing career.Sumen ethos was not only freedom and equality between teachers and friends, but also it was mutual respect and mutual criticism. Sushi did not require his students to agree with his views. Six disciples also had some criticisms and backwashes to Sushi’s literary theory and literary style. Each of them did his own best. Finally, it formed the prose creation scene of pluralistic coexistence and rich diversity.The following is a brief introduction to the research contents.The introduction part explained research motivation and background.The first chapter mainly discussed the establishment of the transition of the disciplines from generation to generation between six disciples and Sushi. The origin of the name of "six disciples" is differentiated. Using Sushi as the reference, we also introduced the characteristics of Sushi prose creation and his expectation to six disciples.The thesis briefly explained the process of becoming friends between Sushi and Huang Tingjian, Qin Guan, Chao Buzhi, Zhang Lei, Chen Shidao and Li Zhi. Sushi led literary world and inherited his inheriting responsibility given by Ouyang Xiu. Sushi found and cultivated six disciples and expected them to be his successor. Six disciples highly respected Sushi. The succession of teaching from Sushi to disciples was through in their words and deeds. The inherited relations deeply influenced the literary life of six followers. It displayed the promoting of the prose creation, sharing weal and woe of life experience and training of personality essence. This contributed to self-realization of their personality spirit and flexible development of prose creation.The second chapter mainly discussed six disciple’s view of literary theory. The similarities and differences of literary theory between six disciples and Sushi were analyzed to explain the inherited relations among with them. Cognition of prose art elements on six disciples literary theory was combed. Stating the opinion of literary tradition and prose history implied their contribution to the theory of ancient prose.Many conceptual categories including truth, pneuma, rhetoric, method, emotion, intention, rhyme and style in prose art elements of six disciples literary theory were stated. This represented mainstream literati cognition to the prose art elements in mid and late Northern Song Dynasty. For traditional prose creation, six students had their own value judgment, and might learn from others and proceeded trade-offs and sublation. The problem of determining predecessor creation was discussed in their literary theory. Many of their literary theories formed the clear opinion of literary tradition and prose history. Their literary theory views enriched and developed theoretical research of classical prose. There was no doubt that it had more positive significances and values.The third chapter mainly discussed the prose creation of six disciples. This displayed the feature and the style of each creation, compared with their inheriting and fostering of Sushi’s style and similarities and differences of style between six disciples.Sumen style of writing lay in pluralism and freedom. The writing generality of six disciples must be a way to keep up from the inner thought. Looking from the appearance, the trait was natural and easy in change. A few could be summarized.The fourth chapter discussed the relationship between prose creation of six disciples and Northern Song Dynasty’s ancient prose movement and their creation limitations. The appropriate comments were given for effect on six disciples in the process of ancient prose movement in the Northern Song Dynasty and its historical position.Conclusion part stated that six disciples had completed the Sushi’s entrust with achievements of their prose creation. And for the research contents further discussed, the related explanation would be done.