Comparison Between Yuan Jie And Liu Zongyuan

Yuan Jie was a forerunner of Chinese classic literature renaissance in the Tang dynasty, while Liu Zongyuan was a vanguard of Chinese classic literature movement. They had close relationship both in literature development and literary inheritance. The literary circle has noticed that Yuan's travel notes exert much influence on Liu, but the great impact of Yuan's essays on Liu is generally neglected. This paper aims at analyzing the similarities and differences in their ideologies, personalities and artistic features through comparison of their prose. It consists of three chapters.Chapter 1 makes a comparison between their personalities. Liu and Yuan were mainly influenced by Confucianism. Meanwhile both of them absorbed Taoism and other ideologies. But they were divergent in the comprehension in these ideologies due to different personalities. Both showed sincere concerns and sympathy about common people's lives and hardship. They sought a harmonious society in which everyone abided by ethics. Hence they paid special attention to life improvement and education. Yuan was a casual man, unwilling to be constrained by rules of etiquette. His political assertions were ideal. He advocated that the people should enjoy more freedom, suffer less burden and restriction. However, Liu was rigorous in personality and tried to harmonize the collision between his personality and outer world. His pragmatic approach in politics made him attach importance to the feasibility and effect of policies. He preferred to adopt flexible political means to achieve political goals.Chapter 2 compares the literary thoughts of Yuan and Liu. Liu inherited the literary thought of Yuan and brought forth fresh ideas. Their literary thoughts were basically similar. They believed in Confucianism and advocated that literature should serve politics. But they were divergent in literature propaganda and the artistic functions of literature.Chapter 3 analyzes artistic features of Yuan and Liu's prose. Their essays and travel notes were most prominent in artistic achievement, representing artistic features of their works. Their essays are satiric, good at applying fables and Q & A tact to criticize the reality. Sentences in these essays are brief and pithy, containing strong passions. Their travels notes depict natural scenery refinement and delicacy. The vital force enables readers to enjoy the beauty of nature and learn about these two authors' feelings toward the society and life.