The Study Of Xu Qianxue’s Ancient Prose

Xu Qianxue, Xu Yuanwen and Xu Bingyi enjoyed great fame as three scholars in Kunshan area in the early period of Qing Dynasty. Among them, Xu Qianxue was the best, both in literary field and in government. But he was a complex person enjoying both reputation and blame. He was profound in the study of Confucian classics, history and literature and wrote many masterpieces. However,he was ignored by the scholars to some extent as such an important man when it came to his literary contribution. This thesis is aim to research his ancient prose creation and theory by studying his thoughts and unique social experience. The thesis analyzes the relations between eulogizing emperor works, academic works and literary works by discussing Xu’s identity as official, scholar,and man of letters, so that we can know the unique characters of the ancient prose of Qing Dynasty.The thesis is divided into three parts as introduction, main body, and conclusion. The main body contains three chapters.Chapter one describes Xu’s experience and his thoughts. Taking into consideration the region he was in, the family education he received in early time,his official experience, his friends, and his academic activity,the thesis analyzes the change of his thoughts. Then we can know better of his literary idea and ancient prose theoryChapter two writes about Xu’s ancient prose theory. it is regarded that Xu was influenced by Gui Youguang and Gu Yanwu in academic aspects. Xu had leaded the new fashion of the literature and brought up a classical standard of ancient prose, concentrated on the writers’cultural and moral training, and emphasized the practical function of the ancient prose. It can be said that his literary idea formed by his identity of official, man of letters and scholar. Among which,the second part writes about the relationship between Xu and Gui Yonguang. his carrying on Sima Qian’s idea of writing books out of conveying deep emotion, the common character of Xu’s theory and the eight great authors’in Tand Dynasty and Song Dynasty through which we can see the original resource of his ancient prose theory.Chapter three analyzes Xu’s ancient prose creation and divides his works into three kinds of official documents, academic articles and casual papers by his multiple identities in order to make clear the content and style of his ancient prose.