Luoshui Literary Aesthetic Studies

Luoshui literature is the total of literary works and literary activities with the object of Luoshui River-an integration of natural and cultural landscapes. The cultural background of Luoshui literature is Heluo cultural,The cores of Luoshui literature are "He Tu Luo Shu"-mythologies about map backed by divine horse in the Yellow river and the book backed by divine turtle in Luoshui, as well as the goddess of Luoshui River.And "He Tu Luo Shu" and the goddess of Luoshui River are originated in our ancestors’ primary mythology thinking and the representation of animism and our ancestor’ worship for the water.Luoshui literature presents two aspects of the development. On the one hand, the original legend of the divine turtle appears from Luoshui River with books on its back (it is considered the "divine right of kings") leads to Luoshui’s indissoluble connection with politics at the very beginning. The repetition of the allusion makes Luoshui an image of a fixed meaning in poems of Tang and Song dynasties, that is, the representation of stable imperial power and a peaceful and harmonious society. On the other hand, Luoshen, the Goddess at Luoshui River, who becomes famous because of the Rhapsody on the Goddess of Luoshui, is a fabulous image of unique charm. At its early stages, only a symbol of no specific meaning, the Goddess of Luo was moulded and imagined randomly with no independent characters. In Rhapsody on the Goddess of Luoshui River, the image of Luoshen gradually takes shape, filling the gap in the story of the Goddess of Luo. Therefore, the Goddess of Luo becomes a complete system, generating significant influence on later Literature on Luoshui River. During the formation period of the image of the Goddess Luo, the theory of Ganzhen (that is, the Goddess of Luo is the transformation of Cao Zhi’s sister-in-law and lover Mrs. Zhen) was widely accepted. The image of the Goddess Luo thus developed to be more realistic and laicized, containing abundant of human emotions. Besides, Mrs. Zhen’s relationship with Cao Zhi came into the focal center. Dramatizing the love story of the Goddess Luo, the Elegy on Luoshui is considered a success. It is because drama’s unique technique of expression, together with some new elements, strengthened the psychological situation, language, and movement of its characters. Also long soliloquies and dialogues become an effective method to explore the mentality of the characters, thus increased the dramatizing effects. Cleverly taken the form of novel, Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio:Queen Zhen elaborates the story of the Queen Zhen marries Liu Zhen for fear of his being put into jail because of her. In the story, the Queen Zhen is depicted as a free and independent character; thus breaks the barrier of Goddess Luo’s former image of solely devoted to Cao Zhi, assuming a new significant meaning.As a form with particular meaning and image, Luoshui literature is the vehicle of spoken language, and it created a model for literary mythology. Luoshui literature can evoke Chinese national memory, and achieve universal sensibility recognition. In addition, manifested by Luoshui literature, the cultural roots of River Luo have profound influence on Hakka culture and Fujian-Taiwan culture, showing great cohesive force and centripetal force.