Cognitive Approach Towards Metaphors In Li Yu’s Ci

The thesis adopts the prototype theory and some other cognitive approacheswithin the conceptual metaphor framework so as to give a deeper and fullerunderstanding about metaphors in Li Yu’s ci.In the long history of traditional Chinese literature, there exists an emperor,named as Li Yu, who composes about thirty-eight pieces of ci and much of them arestill loved and admired by many as they are truly timeless work and strike aspectacular chord in the hearts of readers. Up to now, most scholars usually study hisci from such points as the theme, the content, the mood, the form, the style and otherartistic techniques etc. However, few studies have been made on ci from cognitiveperspective and not to mention the cognitive study about metaphors in Li Yu’s ci.With the help of the prototype approach, the thesis will firstly offer a macro-researchon metaphors in Li Yu’s ci by dividing those metaphors into two metaphor categories,that is; body metaphor category and emotion metaphor category. Later，by means ofsome cognitive viewpoints within the framework of conceptual metaphor theory, thethesis will give a micro-research on metaphors in Li Yu’s ci by appreciating these twometaphor categories and analyzing some prototypical members in these twocategories. In this way, the cognitive appreciation of metaphors in Li Yu’s ci can notonly enrich the study about Li Yu and Li Yu’s ci, but also shed some light on theunderlying working mechanism of some novel metaphors in our traditional Chineseliterature.