Late Tang Dynasty Er Cao Poetry Study

Ancient Chinese poem had a long history and developed to the peak during Tang Dynasty. From an artistic point of view,poem of Tang Dynasty started in early Tang Dynasty,be prosperity in powerful Tang Dynasty,transformed in med-Tang Dynasty ,and gradually improved in late Tang Dynasty. Poets in the period of late Tang Dynasty more emphasized the art features of poem. Chanting history, cherish foretime,love, living like a hermit, became mainstream subjects of the poetry in this era.However, in this time,Cao Ye wrote many Five-Word archaic realism poems;and Cao Tang wrote large amount of fairy poems.They two are famous in their time and later time. Cao Ye, also named Cao Yezhi, is a representative poet of realism poems in late Tang Dynasty; Cao Tang, also named Cao Yaobin, is a master of poet on immortals following Guo Pu of Jin Dynasty.Their hometown are Guilin,their official position are not high during all their life,and their political life are rough,but they can have a place in poetry field of late Tang Dynasty,which is called Er Cao by later generation.Cao Ye and Cao Tang not only have the same geographical and cultural background, but also have similar way to the the civil service examinations, which determine there will be similarities in theme of poems. However, Er Cao have different art features and different aesthetic orientation, leading their poems have different emphasis. This article comprehensivly analysis Er Cao's poetry from four aspects: the same background and different life experience of Er Cao; the subjects of perform their poetry;art features;the spread of their poetry versions and the literary value.From these,we can realize the achievement of Er Cao poetry and the reason formed.Firstly, comprehensive various history books and poetry ,carding Cao Ye and Cao Tang's rough political life,their experience and comunication, and briefly explain the mainstream poetry style during late Tang poetry. Secondly, specificly analyse the contradiction in the theme of Er Cao's poems,for example, Cao Ye's poetry performance the ideological consciousness and seclusion, and Cao Tang commit to creat the poetry about immortals,but hope to render meritorious service make a difference at the same time. Thirdly, detail the artistic characteristics of poetry created by Cao Ye and Cao Tang.Finally, explain the spread of different versions of Er Cao 's poems,and analyse the literary value of their poems.Cao Ye is a reprentative poet in archaic poem of late Tang Dynasty; and Cao Tang is also a reprentative poet in fairy poem,and become a template model to later generation to learn.