A Study Of Tang Yin's Literature

Tang Yin was a well-known drawer and writer during the middle of the Ming dynasty, as Tang Yin, Zhu Yunming, Wen Zhengming, and Xu Zhenqing, were called then"the Four Geniuses of Wuzhong". All the styles of scholars, poetry and drawings could be particularly characterized by his creation.The Cheating in the 12th imperial examination of the Hongzhi period turned out to be one of the most significant experiences in the lifetime of Tang Yin. Before the event Tang Yin, though unrestrainted, would abide by the confucian traditions; after the event, Tang Yin saw through the earthly life and got infatuated with drinking and singing and even more unconventional. With a distinctive view on value and literature, Tang Yin's creation stood out in the circle of literature. His poetry, easy, popular and innocent, was the very reflection of his pursuit of personal freedom. His poems with drawing embodied aesthetic connotations of the beauties about glory, flavor, innovation and tragedy and hence became a rarity. Tang Yin's special view on value was the result of the special environment, political culture and academic thinking in the area of Wuzhong---the natural environment, the changing social conditions and the fresh humanist atmosphere in Wuzhong contributed to Tang Yin's talented qualities and unconventional behavior.In terms of academic trends, Tang Yin's view on literature had some spiritual similarities and different value priorities with the Seven Geniuses'doctrine of"back to the ancients", Wang Yangming's ideaology and the Tang-Song school's inherent qualities. Tang Yin, the representative of the Wuzhong scholars, agreed with the Seven Geniuses'doctrine of"back to the ancients", but the seven aimed to restore the classic poetry with confucian traditions, while the Wuzhong scholars advocated the free presentation of emotions and talents. Tang Yin and Wang Yangming had some similarities in favor of the subjectivity of humans, but Tang Yin paid much attention to humans'emotions, natural requirements and individuality, while Wang Yangming focused on human desires and laid a foundation for the return to self, to human nature. In terms of literary creation, Tang Yin acclaimed the real and natural expression of feelings and emotions, which had some similarities with the Tang-Song school's coherence of words and feelings, but the Tang-Song school was still restrainted with the conventional theory of the unity of writing and confucian philosophy.In terms of the historical inheritance of personlaity, Tang Yin's dissipation and unconventionality succeeded the Wei-Jin Style, his pride and conceit echoed Li Bai's customs and hence his unconventional thinking and behavior left a deep influence on all generations.