Study On The Anthology Of Ci By Seven Masters In Song Dynasty

Qing dynasty was the heyday for the anthology of Ci. A large amount of anthologies ofCi were compiled, most of which, more notably, were of great documentary and theoreticalsignificance. The Anthology of Ci by Seven Masters in Song Dynasty compiled by Ge Zai wasone of the important works to the research on Ci, which constituted a concentratedembodiment of the major Ci composing thoughts of the Ci School of Wuzhong.The formation of The Anthology of Ci by Seven Masters in Song Dynasty was resulted bythe interaction of various elements including Ge Zai’s own thoughts of Ci, social tendenciesand the situation of the world of Ci at that time. In such background, better research could beconducted to discover more important meanings that lie in the anthologies.The significance of The Anthology of Ci by Seven Masters in Song Dynasty lay in theapproaches it pointed out for instruction on the composition of Ci to followers, which wasmainly manifested on the levels of style and rhythm. While inheriting Zhang Yan’s CiThoughts of "elegant and standard", Ge Zai also rectified the undesirable tendencies in the Citheories of Zhexi Ci School and Changzhou Ci School. More over, he strictly stuck to the ruleof poetic verse in the selection of Ci, modifying or excluding works with too many errors onverses, which appeared as the most significant feature of this anthology.Not only was The Anthology of CI by Seven Masters in Song Dynasty a typical anthologyof the Wuzhong Ci School, but also rectified the malpractice in the ethos of Ci creation in Midand Late Qing dynasty, which therefore received high praise from Ci authors in his time. Inthe end of Qing dynasty, Zhu Zumou, Zheng Wenzhuo, and Kuang Zhouyi etc., whose Cipractices were also influenced by Wuzhong Ci School, made penetrating criticism on TheAnthology of Ci by Seven Masters in Song Dynasty. Additionally, this anthology even shedprofound influences on the world of Ci during late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China.