Dong Zhongshu’s Literary And Artistic Thoughts From The Perspective Of Cultural And Political Poetics

In the traditional study of literary theory,Dong Zhongshu’s literary and artistic thoughts are mostly studied from the perspective of metaphysical aesthetics,but other factors behind his literary and artistic thoughts are neglected.In the face of Dong Zhongshu’s complex ideological system,if we want to trace back to the source of his literary and artistic thought,we need to examine the formation mechanism and birth context behind it.In other words,we need to clarify three questions,under what background was Dong’s literary and artistic thought born? How did Dong establish his own ideological system in Liu Han’s regime? What is the final value orientation of Dong’s literary and artistic thought? To clarify these three issues,the theoretical perspective of cultural-political poetics is a good starting point.The first is the background of the birth of Dong’s literary thought.The fall of the Qin Dynasty and the rise of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of a centralized state are the background of Dong’s era.Under this background,"Rejecting Qin and Promoting Han" became the most important proposition of the times at that time."Rejecting the Qin Dynasty and rejuvenating the Han Dynasty" brought about a challenge to the Confucian scholars represented by Dong,that is,how to find a reasonable ruling strategy for the Liu Han regime under the historical lessons of the death of Qin II.Dong Zhongshu’s literary and artistic thought was formed under this background,and his literary and artistic thought was a part of his complex political and philosophical ideological system,and the root of his ideological theory still lay in "rejecting the Qin Dynasty" and "promoting the Han Dynasty",and the final result was to create the ideological pattern of "respecting Confucianism alone" since the Hanwu period.The second is how to construct Dong’s ideological system.Dong Zhongshu solved the problem of the legitimacy of the regime for Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty through the Three Strategies of Heaven and Man,and then further refined his theory in the Spring and Autumn Dew.Based on the pre-Qin Confucianism and the theories of various schools of thought,especially the theory of yin-yang and five elements,Dong constructed a set of theories of heaven and man in line with the Liu Han regime.In this ideological system,Dong not only solved the institutional anxiety of Liu Han’s regime,but also provided a channel for Confucianism to intervene in Liu Han’s politics through "subjugating the people to extend the monarch" and "subjugating the monarch to extend the heaven".Through the Spring and Autumn Annals,the five elements of Yin and Yang and the interaction between heaven and man,Dong constructed a set of systematic theories.This theory also contributed to the determination of the official status of Confucianism in the Hanwu period,which also brought about the prosperity of Confucianism.Dong’s literary and artistic thoughts were also integrated into his ideological system,which was mixed with his political philosophy to serve Liu Han’s regime and Confucianism.Finally,it is the ultimate value orientation of Dong’s literary and artistic thought.The influence of the construction of Dong’s theory in the Han Dynasty on the ideology and culture of the Han Dynasty is not only "Confucianism alone",but also his construction and mastery of the cultural discourse power in this period,which is also a value orientation and practical function of Dong’s thought.A prominent feature of Confucianism after Dong’s transformation is the enhancement of practicality.such as "small words and big meanings","poetry without interpretation","three grades of human nature","ritual and music education" and "Spring and Autumn Annals".Through his own theoretical construction,Dong made the original Confucianism have more abundant realistic vitality,which also made the "Confucian orthodoxy" represented by Confucianism formally enter the "political orthodoxy" of Liu Han politics.At the same time,on the one hand,Dong’s theoretical construction of ideology and culture made Confucian principles accepted by the intellectuals and the common people in the Han Dynasty,and more importantly,he opened up a living space for Confucian scholars in the centralized politics.