Tao Wangling's Poetics Research

Tao Wangling is an important member of Gong An School in Ming Dynasty, and has an important position in the poetry history of Ming Dynasty, its poetic thought also generated a positive impact to the poetic circle at that time. In this paper, it aims to explore Tao Wangling's poetic theoretical stands based on the "Collection of Xie'an" written by him and by compiling some of the poetics. By analyzing Tao Wangling's life background and philosophical thought, this paper discusses the context for the formation of his poetic theory. In addition, through the comparison with poetic theories proposed by well-known scholars of the Ming Dynasty, it reveals the characteristics and value of Tao Wangling's poetics.In the first part, it gives an overview on Tao Wangling's lifetime and thoughts, conducts in-depth analysis on his diversified ideological assertions, and notes that he has Confucianism feelings, with the ideological characteristics of mind philosophy inheritance and compatible Buddhism and Taoism.In the second part, it explores the major poetic theory advocates of Tao Wangling from five aspects, namely, the essence of poetry, poetry creation, poets, poetry genres and poetic appreciation. In regards of the essence of poetry, Tao Wangling believed that "poetries are based on emotion and expressed in specific situation", "Poets have to possessed with both talent and emotions", which inherited and developed the “poem come from feelings” started in Six Dynasties. In regards of poetry creation, Tao Wangling proposed the advocates of "learn from the past, but not keep on the rails" and so on, which not only corrected the creative approaches of seven poetic celebrities in Ming Dynasty, but also explicate unique thoughts on the soul and spirit poetry advocate of Gong An School. In regards of the poets, Tao Wangling expressed subtlety evaluation on a lot of poets, such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Gao Shi and Cen Shen et al from Tang Dynasty, Su Shi and Lu You et al. from Song Dynasty, Yang Shen and Xu Wei et al.from Ming Dynansty; moreover, he also argued and refuted the theories of “Poetry Renown in Prime Tang Dynasty" and "No poets after Song Dynasty". In terms of poetry genres, Tao Wangling believed that "poetry is music, and music is poetry", he also proposed "true poetry does not rhyme" and "poetry of the poets", to discuss the musicality and lyricism characteristics of poetry. On the poetic appreciation, Tao Wangling had a dialectical understanding on the relationship between poetry "dull" and "marvelous", besides, he also interpreted the beauty realm of poetry.In the third part of the paper, through the poetics comparison with Yang Shen, Xu Wei, Three Yuans of Gong An School, it reveals the characteristics, status and significance of Tao Wangling's poetry in Ming Dynasty Poetry Doctrine.This paper is attached with "Tao Wangling Poetry Selections", complies major chapters of Tao Wangling Poetics.