A Study Of The Commentary On Su Shi In Liu Xizai’s Yi Gai

Liu Xizai was a famous literary theorist and aesthetician of the late Qing Dynasty in China,known as the "Hegel of the East".In his lifetime,he compiled the Yi Gai,which is a representative work reflecting his literary and artistic thoughts.In the Yi Gai,Liu Xizai commented on Su Shi and his works for many times,covering Su Shi’s study and insight,style of works,the literary meaning and techniques of works,and other critical manifestations,reflecting his critical method and critical concept.The dimension of Su Shi’s study and insight includes Su Shi’s academic cultivation and insight.Liu Xizai explores the sources of Su Shi’s academic cultivation from different perspectives.Liu Xizai believed that Su Shi’s academic cultivation came from Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism,from the previous generation of literary and art creators,and from nature.Liu Xizai observed that Su Shi’s rich insight resulted from his changing identity.According to Liu Xizai,Su Shi has a insight of "Wenroudunhou" arising from his Confucian identity,a insight of "Xuanyasashou" arising from his status as a relegated person,and a insight of "Ziyouhuixin" arising from his status as a hermit.The style of Su Shi’s works includes his prose style,poetry style and Ci style.Liu Xizai believes that Su Shi’s prose style is a blend of the style of "Gong" and "Yi",Su Shi’s poetry style is the coexisting "Haokuang" and "Qingxin" style,and Su Shi’s Ci style is the style of "Qingkong" and "Chenhou" to prove the viewpoint of Ci "takes ’Haokuang’as ’Zheng’".On the level of the literary meaning and techniques of Su Shi’s works,Liu Xizai argues that Su Shi’s works have novel meaning,which is the literary meaning of "Yiranbuxie",the literary meaning of "Yilizisheng",and the literary meaning of "Jingweichaokuang".According to Liu Xizai,Su Shi’s works are flexible in the use of techniques,which are reflected in different categories of techniques such as essay layout,chapter and verse,and the use of rhetoric.On the level of Liu Xizai’s critical methods,Liu Xizai uses borrowing methods,comparison methods,and figurative methods to comment on Su Shi,and his critical methods contain the "Jian" way of speech.On the level of Liu Xizai’s critical concepts,Liu Xizai comments on Su Shi through the concepts of the unity of people and art,the dialectics of Yin and Yang,the nature,and advocate "Tong" and "Jian".The unity of people and art refers to Liu Xizai’s belief that the author’s character is consistent with his literary works;the dialectics of Yin and Yang refers to Liu Xizai’s belief that two things are both opposed and unified;the nature refers to Liu Xizai’s love for the true state of things;advocate "Tong" and "Jian" refers to Liu Xizai breaking through the gap between literature and art,advocating flexibility,and making "Jian" comments.The commentary on Su Shi in Liu Xizai’s Yi Gai is able to demonstrate the concrete critical manifestation presented by Liu Xizai through Su Shi,as well as his critical methods,critical concepts reflected in the period when traditional literary and artistic criticism was in its summation,and ultimately reflects the characteristics of the transmutation of the times in ancient Chinese literature theory and aesthetics.