Late Tang Literati Mentality And Creative Research

Not long after the death of Li Shangyin, the last literary laurel, Li Chen,Emperor Xuan, died and Li Cui, Emperor Yi, ascended to the throne. He changed the year to Xiantong in the following year. From the year 860 to 907, it is the period of the late Tang Dynasty in Chinese history, a society full of strife and political disharmony. The background of political unrest and privation of people's life as well as the irreversible historical tendency of destruction of Tang Dynasty have a profound influence on scholars' mentality and their literary creation. The thesis attempts to explore the specific characteristics of the literary works in this period, aiming to promote the readers to have a better understanding of the works in this period.The thesis consists of three parts:1. The background of the late Tang DynastyChapter One discusses the social background of the late Tang Dynasty, a period characterized by disappointment in the imperial examination, the clogged official career, turbulence, poverty, hunger, pain, and hatred. The background provides the external causes for the scholars' depression.2. The scholars' attitudes toward the societyChapter Two explores the scholars' attitude in that period. The scholars' negative attitude towards the society will be illustrated from the following three aspects: the universal pessimism, and the depressive thoughts of withdrawing from the society and the nostalgia about the flourish of the Tang Dynasty. The first two aspects are shared by all scholars living in the late of Dynasty whereas the third aspect is exclusive to the scholars in this period.3. The study of the worksChapter Three focuses on the characteristics of the literary works in this period and negative attitudes reflected in the works. The thesis points out that the works have great influence on the later literary works especially on the prose of the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty by making enlightenment to both the content and the form of the prose.