The Study Of Prefaces In Han Dynasty

Prefaces are a special literary form indivisible to a book or some books, introducing the main contents of the book and the writing background mainly. The Prefaces came into being, developed and formed its style gradually in the Han dynasty with rich contents and constantly changing literal forms, good examples for later Prefaces writing after that period. The vast information in the Prefaces is important materials for the study of the author as well as the book. The essay explored the Prefaces in Han dynasty in its title origination, its development, the contents, and the literal forms to highlight the value of the Prefaces of the dynasty.The first chapter introduces the subject of the study, summary and analysis of the researches earlier, and the focus and the significance of the essay.The second chapter dates back to the origin of the literal form. The basic meaning of preface was the west and east walls, extended meaning of order or beginning. The source of preface dated back to On Divine by the eight diagrams of Yin and Yang, and on the sequence of the whole book of the book of songs, both meaning the introduction attached to the books they introduced in preface, and took them the source of this literal form. In the Han dynasty, the Prefaces increased, literal forms settled and the books with Prefaces richer and richer.The third chapter stresses the literal form characters in the Han dynasty. The place change of the Prefaces from the end of the book to the beginning of the book is the result of many factors, like the contents, the book-carrier, and the layout of the book. By discussing the writing forms of the book and its Prefaces, as well as the consequences of the whole book and each chapter, the characters of the Prefaces are explored and the significance stressed. The writing styles of the Prefaces with neat and paralleling sentences in poetic language fully express the emotions of the author.The fourth chapter focuses on the contents of the Prefaces in the Han dynasty. The contents maily introduce the contents of the book, including the writing background, the writing process, and author’s purpose in writing, and its layout sequence. The Prefaces were enriched with the author’s family background from the Preface of Shiji, and that preface was influential to the writing of autobiographies. Some Prefaces of the certain academic monographs summarized the academic history, enhanced the technicality of the Prefaces, and have great academic value.The fifth chapter summarizes the book value of the order in five aspects of literature, academic, literal forms, bibliography and literature. The information in the book, the author and the academic history, has provided valuable information for the later generations. The writing forms originated in the Han dynasty set good examples for later Prefaces writers, for the development of bibliography also has a certain role in promoting. In addition, the Prefaces of the period made great progress in narration and lyricism with beautiful language and overflowing emotions, and a diamond of great value in literature.Summarizing the essay, and explications for undiscussed contents, the author puts forward humble proposals for further studies in the future on this subject.