Records of Su Shi’s Food and Lifestyle during the Relegation Period

• Main Authors: WANG,PO-HUNG, 王博弘
• Other Authors: 柯金虎
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53497877189297803049

碩士 === 玄奘大學 === 中國語文學系碩博士班 === 104 === This paper mainly investigates Su Shi’s life when he was relegated to remote locations in Huangzhou, Huizhou, and Danzhou following the partisan politics during the Northern Song dynasty. By becoming a gourmand, Su Shi was able to forget about his difficulties resulting from his relegation and transformed these challenges into a greater state of openness. The food is the basic foundation for human survival. Many works prior to the Qin dynasty such as the Book of Odes, the Book of Rites, and Chu Ci (Verses of Chu) included many verses, descriptions, and records of dietary habits ranging from deeply religious banquets which were are held in the sacrificial rites for honoring the ancestral spirits and reflected the political, economic, and religious aspects of society as well as the lifestyles of commoners during those times. Human diets changed for over a thousand years since the Pre-Qin era. The Northern Song dynasty was famous for its prosperity and vibrant economic development. The rich exchange between northern and southern cultures transformed dietary habits in the general society. Everyone, from royalties and aristocrats down to the common folk, was affected by this new wave of gastronomic innovations. Poetry and prose written by the literate elite naturally established some connections with food and drinks. Such compositions revealed the gastronomic habits of the literate elites during the Northern Song period and their essential values and means of dealing with others in their daily lives. This paper is divided into 5 chapters. Chapter 1 describes the motivation and purpose of this research; Chapter 2 investigates Su Shi’s extended relegation following the partisan politics of the Northern Song era; Chapter 3 describes his experiences in working the land while he lived in Huangzhou and how he enjoyed his new status as a farmer, as well as his relegation to Lingnan where he tried many wild game and called himself as a Lingnan native. Chapter 4 studied Su Shi’s dinners and lifestyle after he obtained an official post and how he later started drinking to alleviate stress. This Chapter observed changes to his mental state and means by which he diverted his sorrows and disappointment after enduring setbacks to his political career and eventually adopted a stance of naturalistic personal fulfillment. Chapter 5 then focused on Su Shi’s illnesses during his relegation in remote locations and how he adjusted his diet for therapeutic purposes and lived out the rest of his life in peace. Su Shi's life was filled with setbacks and challenges, yet he never lost his determination and often exhibited an open and carefree approach to life. He loved being alive and cared for people and events around him, and his proses and poems on food and drink allowed us to observe his unique and highly valued philosophy as well as the powerful views he harbored about life.