Study On Ling Mengchu’s Book Of Songs

In the early Ming Dynasty,the study of the Poetic Edda was basically based on Zhu Xi as the authority.In the middle and late Ming dynasty,the trend of restoration rose,and numerous schools of thought emerged in the field of poetry and scripture.As the creator and advocate of popular literature in the late Ming Dynasty,Ling Mun-chu wrote extensively throughout his life.In addition to the creation of popular literature such as operas and novels,he also engaged in the study of scripture,and the only treatment of the Shi Jing,his achievements include not only scripture notes but also literary commentary,which occupies a certain position in the history of the Ming Dynasty’s Shi Jing.Under the influence of the imperial examination system,Ling Mun-chu also did not follow Zhu Xi’s "Poetry" completely,and developed a spirit of doubt and innovation in the interpretation of the poetic meaning,showing his in-depth thinking on the study of scripture,as well as his unique interest in the study of literature.At present,the scholarly research on Ling Mun-chu’s Shi Jing has achieved certain results,but it is not yet perfect.This paper attempts to conduct a more comprehensive investigation of Ling Mun-chu’s study of the Poetic Edda,based on three books,namely,The Poetic Inversion,The Poetic Wing of the Disciples of Confucius,and The First Mound of the Sacred Gate,with a view to expanding the field of Ling Mun-chu’s study of the Poetic Edda.The first chapter analyzes the favorable conditions for the completion of Ling Munchu’s work on the Poetic Edda,the characteristics of its edition,and some external factors that influenced its content,taking into account the external conditions of Ling Munchu’s friendships,engraving activities,and examination experiences related to the treatment of the Poetic Edda.Ling Mun-chu’s work on the Poetic Edda was not the work of one person,but was made possible by the intellectual and material assistance of his contemporaries.Ling Mun-chu’s book of the Poetic Edda is characterized by the coexistence of family,literary,and commercialization.The family nature of Huzhou Ling’s book engraving,as well as the multiple identities of scholars and booksellers,led Ling Mun-chu to consider both the content and form of the book to fit the market,and to choose the ink-engraved edition for the sake of academic promotion.Ling Mengchu’s content selection,which included the "Six Postures of Mao Poetry" and other imperial examinations,objectively led him down the path of literary interpretation as well.The second chapter examines Ling Mun-chu’s acceptance of Fengfang’s "Shi Zhuan" and "Shi Shuo",and examines the transformation of Ling Mun-chu’s scripture thinking and his attitude toward "Shi" during the last decade.In the turn from "Shi Reversal" to "Shengmen Zhuan Shi Shizhu",Ling Mun-chu can be seen to have changed from respecting Zhu to doubting Zhu,focusing on the elaboration of the beautiful thorns in the poetic purpose,and linking poetry closely to politics.He carries a sense of problem and tries to solve it by changing the order of the chapter.In his discussion of the Poem,Ling Mengchu does not exclusively honor either Han or Song,reflecting the academic trend of a mixture of Han and Song studies in the middle and late Ming dynasty.He compares Mao and Zhu with the Shi Chuan,evaluates their strengths and weaknesses,and strives for innovation by taking into account the strengths of all.Chapter 3 focuses on the characteristics of Ling Mun-chu’s commentary on the Shi Jing.The late Ming Dynasty saw a boom in the commentary of the Shi Jing,and the new trend of literary interpretation of the Shi Jing distinguished it from the traditional scripture studies that used to dominate.This chapter examines the editions,style,and commentary of the "Yin Shi Yi" and the "Shi Wei Zi",as well as the statistics of the various commentators on the "Shi" in the "Shi Wei" and the "Yin Shi Yi",and examines the criteria for the collection of Ling Mengchu’s commentary.The differences between the two books,Poems Against the Odyssey and The Wings of Words and Poems,have led to different emphases in the two books.Ling Mengchu does not include the great masters of Han and Song studies,but only the current commentaries,focusing on the interpretation of the literary meaning of poetry,reflecting his recognition of the "living method".In his self-evaluation,he pays attention to the poetry’s character and syntax,the structure and layout of the chapters,and the poetry’s situation and "meaning beyond the words".The fourth chapter discusses the connection between Ling Mun-chu’s study of the Shi Jing and literary creation,examining how Ling Mun-chu’s literary works cite the Shi Jing and how the study of the Shi Jing relates to the creation of novels,exploring the role of his study of the Shi Jing in literature,and further grasping Ling Mun-chu’s view of the Shi Jing.The Shi Jing,as a foundational text for Ming scholars,shaped their thinking and expression.On the one hand,Ling Mun-chu applies the lyrical thinking of the Shijing to his novels,and on the other hand,from the gentle and generous poetic tradition,he transposes the Confucian view of poetry into his novels,bringing into play the role of Confucian poetry in intervening in reality,highlighting the content orientation of the "two beats" to persuade people to be good,and exploring the moral characteristics and ethical significance of the novels’ contents,promoting the Confucian poetry and the Confucian poetry.The novel’s moral characteristics and ethical significance are explored,and the function of Confucian poetry in nurturing character and conduct is carried forward.