A Study of Three Major Chinese New Poets in Early Modern Period

• Main Authors: Kim，Sang-ho, 金尚浩
• Other Authors: Kung，Hsien-tsung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/67488636763634797879

博士 === 國立中山大學 === 中國文學系 === 88 === The history of Chinese new literature, which begins with 1917''s "Literary Revolution" propaganda, is merely of seventy-something years. New literature differentiates itself from literature of previous times not only in its distinct style and genre, but also in its close connection to practical life and its partaking of ordinary people''s fate. What is more important, however, is the fact that its short history has never refrained itself from begetting a group of great poets, which is no small in number. The May Fourth Movement of new poetry, led by Hu Shih, formally paved the way for Liang Ch''i-ch''ao to recede, which became the theoretical starting point and the direction of development. Hu Shih said, "The language of new literature is the word-of-mouth, the style of new literature is free, not being confined to any formalities." During the time of May Fourth Movement of new literature, there appeared three most influential poets among many who helped the new poetry to gain a social status, namely: Guo Mo-ruo, Hsu Chih-mo, and Wen I-to. If one is to portray the new literature as a sky full of stars, Guo Mo-ruo, Hsu Chih-mo, and Wen I-to must be illustrated as "the stars of the night." At the intersection of the old and the new, the three poets on the one hand unfettered themselves from the feudal Confucian teachings of poetry, and on the other hand freely pursued their poetic inspiration, ruthfully writing their heartfelt concerns and regards, which altogether reveals their high-degree of subjective consciousness. The content of their poetry retains a remarkably liberal spirit, which in turn induced to create a poetic form of wholly unconventional style and approaches. With some backdrop discussion of the May Fourth Movement of new literature, this dissertation shall focus on the poetry and the theory of Guo Mo-ruo, Hsu Chih-mo, and Wen I-to, analyzing their value and significance. It is divided into six chapters as follows: The first chapter, "Introduction," explains the motive and the aim of writing the dissertation, the method of research, and the boundary of subject. The second chapter, "The Poem and Poetry-Theory of Guo Mo-ruo," discusses the origin and essence of Guo Mo-ruo''s literature, his creative writing process and his perspective on poetry-theory and drama-theory in the theory of literature. It shall also discuss the subject of his poetry and its formal aesthetics. The third chapter, "The Poem and Poetry-Theory of Hsu Chih-mo," first examines the life of Hsu Chih-mo, in order to understand the background of his literature. It will be revealed that, Hsu Chih-mo, via the method of literature, seriously pursued practical ideal and spiritual freedom. As to his poetic form and expressive skill, they almost seem to be an introduction and experimentation of a new system. The fourth chapter, "The Poem and Poetry-Theory of Wen I-to," shall describe how Wen I-to, who was a poet at the same time a scholar, standing firm on the spirit of Chinese literature, chose Western poetic art-form and teaching of poetry, integrating them into parts of Chinese literature. His system of aesthetics not merely reveals his fondness of aestheticism; by reflecting on his own experience, he successfully combined the theory and practice. As to setting-the-style of new poetry, his contribution was undoubtedly a positive one; his poems employ a style that is relatively regular in form, which freshly affirmed the status of new poetry. The fifth chapter, "The Comparison of Works and Theory of Three Major Poets," shall investigate the similarities and differences among the three major poets, viz., Guo Mo-ruo, Hsu Chih-mo, and Wen I-to. The sixth chapter, "Conclusion," sums up the previous outcomes of research. It analyzes the significance of delineating the poetry of the three major poets, and discusses their influence on the trend and insight of later poets who succeeded the spirit of new poetry.