| Cao Tang Shi Yu is a collection of Ci poems complied by a bookseller of Southern Song dynasty for singing. In the history of Ci poems, there exist different views towards it, and consequently studies of Ci poems in Ming and Qing two dynasties cannot expect to escape from its influence. Particularly, in Ming dynasty, Cao Tang Shi Yu is held generally in esteem as the cannon of Ci poems, which not only influences the formation and development of Ci poems' style, and affects its tendency of theory and criticism of the studies in Ming dynasty as well, simutaneously laying an important foundation for the formation of the thoughs of studies on Ci poems in Qing dynasty. Therefore, this paper analyzes the reasons of its flourishing in Ming dynasty and its function in the formation of the thoughts of studies on Ci poems in Qing dynasty by having a survey of the version of Ming dynasty, trying to objectively evaluate the reasons of the thoughts of studies on Ci poems and seek the reasons of its declination in Ming dynasty.The paper consists of three parts: preface, the body part and conclusion.In preface, under the prerequisite of the summary of basic situations to Cao Tang Shi Yu in the history of Ci poems, there has an overview of the reasons of choosing this topic and the goal of this study.The body part is developed from the document and the theory studies two respects, which is divided into three sections.The first section is a survey of the versions of Cao Tang Shi Yu in Ming dynasty. Firstly, thirty-nine Ming dynasty versions of it handed down and recorded, as well as eleven of its continuation and expansion by people of Ming dynasty influenced by it, are sorted out. On the basis of this survey, its system of versions, the time of its compilation, something of the collection of main versions and those disseminators are checked and studied, getting an overall understanding of Cao Tang Shi Yu, and building a firm foundation for the theoretical study in the latter part of this thesis.The second section is on the reasons of its popularity in Ming dynasty. As this section declares, its flouring is the result of actual social material conditions andspecific humanistic environment. During the mid-late period of Ming dynasty, the vulgar and erotic vogue in the field of Ci poems, the extravagant and wasteful social life style and those scholars disappointed at the politics and indulging in sensual pleasure make it graceful, restrained and amorous, and melodious and smooth as well, and thus stimulate Ci poems, previously serving the need of singing, to develop into an extreme popularity.The third section concerns the influence of Cao Tang Shi Yu towards the thoughts of Ci poems in Ming dynasty. Based on the thoughts of Ci poems reflected from the re-compilation of it by people of Ming, this section holds that the theories and practice of Ci poems in Ming dynasty are influenced profoundly. In the presupposition of seconding its aesthetic style, people of Ming imitate it, and the creation of the compilation of tune-division objectively make it function as the music of Ci poems, eventually leading to the creative tendency of the field of Ci poems in Ming dynasty.In conclusion, there is a conclusive evaluation to studies of Ci poems in Ming dynasty, so as to highlight the reasons of the actual declination inherent in its seemingly popularity. |
