The so-called Han Dynasty refers to the two dynasties of "Western Han" and "Eastern Han". The Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - 9 AD), also known as the Early Han Dynasty, and the Eastern Han Dynasty (Later Han Dynasty) are collectively known as the Han Dynasty. It was a unified feudal dynasty after the Qin Dynasty in ancient China. On February 28, 202 BC, Liu Bang was proclaimed emperor, the country was named Han, and the history was called the Western Han Dynasty. Liu Bang was Emperor Gao, Taizu of the Han Dynasty. On January 10, 9 AD, Wang Mang proclaimed himself emperor, changed the country's name to a new one, and the Western Han Dynasty fell. There were fourteen emperors in the Western Han Dynasty, which lasted for 211 years. The Western Han Dynasty was a peak in the development of Chinese culture, with comprehensive development of social economy, culture and art, and increasingly frequent foreign exchanges, making it one of the most powerful countries in the world at that time. The capital of the Western Han Dynasty was Chang'an (now northwest of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province). Mausoleums are scattered all over Guanzhong, and cultural relics are very rich, showing the colorful era of "the Han Dynasty conquered the world".
During the Western Han Dynasty, many masters of Ci and Fu and excellent Ci and Fu works appeared in China. "Han Fu" has become a generation of literature alongside "The Book of Songs", "Chu Ci", "Six Dynasties Parallel Prose", "Tang Poems", "Song Ci", "Yuan Qu", "Ming and Qing Novels", etc. The Ci Fu of the Western Han Dynasty is the most representative style of Han Dynasty literature. It is between poetry and prose, with both rhyme and prose. It can be said to be the prose culture of poetry and the poeticization of prose. The Ci and Fu of the Western Han Dynasty incorporated various literary styles and formed a new system. It draws on the subject-object question-and-answer format and extravagant style of Chu Ci and the Warring States Period. It also draws on the narrative techniques of pre-Qin historical and biographical literature, and often incorporates poetry into it. Just looking at the poetry forms used, there are both traditional four-character poems and emerging five-character poems and seven-character poems. The stylistic sources of Ci and Fu in the Western Han Dynasty are multi-faceted, and it is a comprehensive literary style. Its huge capacity and strong expressive ability benefit from this to a large extent. Mei Cheng's "Seven Fa" marks the formal formation of the new style Fu, and Sima Xiangru's works represent the highest achievement of the new style Fu. The main writer of new style Fu in the late Western Han Dynasty was Yang Xiong. Representative writers of Ci and Fu in the Western Han Dynasty include: Lu Jia, Jia Yi, Mei Cheng, Sima Xiangru, Dongfang Shuo, Mei Gao, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che, Wang Bao, Yang Xiong, etc.
⑴ Lu Jia (about 240 BC - 170 BC), a statesman, writer and thinker in the Western Han Dynasty. He was originally from Chu. When Liu Bang was in trouble, Lu Jia was often sent as envoys to the princes and countries because he was eloquent and good at debating. At the beginning of the founding of the Han Dynasty, the world was not yet stable, and the rulers represented by Liu Bang lacked a deep understanding of the importance of cultural construction. Liu Bang once made it clear that he did not like "Poems" and "Books". Lu Jia first pointed out the importance of cultural construction, and inspired and guided the supreme rulers to summarize the experiences and lessons of the rise and fall of previous dynasties with excellent political essays. At the same time, Lu Jia also used Fu to express his emotions, which opened the door to the literary creation of the Han Dynasty. prelude. Ban Gu's "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" divides Han Fu into four schools, one of which is headed by Lu Jia, and includes 274 works of Fu from 21 families including Mei Gao, Zhu Maichen, Sima Qian, and Yang Xiong. "Wen Xin Diao Long·Cai Lue" says: "Lu Jia of the Han Dynasty was the first to have extraordinary talents. He wrote "Meng Chun" and selected canonical edicts, and his debate was rich." It can be seen that his poems also had considerable influence at that time, but unfortunately they have not been spread. He is the author of twelve chapters of "Xinyu", which are still extant. There are also nine chapters of "Chu Han Chun Qiu" and three chapters of Fu, which are lost today.
⑵ Jia Yi (200 BC-168 BC), Han nationality, was from Luoyang (now east of Luoyang City, Henan Province). A famous political commentator and writer in the early Western Han Dynasty. He was famous for his talents at the age of 18. He was recommended by Wu Gong, the governor of Henan Province when he was young. When he was more than 20 years old, he was called by Emperor Wen to become a doctor. In less than a year, he was promoted to Taizhong doctor. However, at the age of 23, he was hated by the ministers and was demoted as the Taifu of the King of Changsha. He was later recalled to Chang'an and became the Taifu of King Huai of Liang. After King Huai of Liang fell from his horse and died, Jia Yi felt deeply guilty until he died of sadness at the age of 33. His works mainly include prose and poetry. Political essays: "On Public Security Policy", "On Passing the Qin Dynasty", "On Accumulation and Storage". Poems: "Ode to Qu Yuan", "Ode to Song Bird", "Ode to Cherishing", "Ode to Dry Clouds", "Ode to Xu". Especially "Ode to Qu Yuan" and "Ode to Song Bird" are the most famous.
⑶ Meicheng (? - 140 BC), courtesy name Shu, was a scholar of Ci and Fu in the Western Han Dynasty. He was a native of Huaiyin (now Hexia Town, Chuzhou District, Huai'an City) during the reign of Qin Dynasty. He once served as a literary attendant to King Liu Bi of Wu and King Liu Wu of Liang. Before the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, he wrote to the King of Wu to stop him from raising troops; during the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, he wrote to the King of Wu to stop his troops. King Wu refused to listen. After the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms was settled, Meicheng became famous for this. During the reign of Emperor Jing, he was promoted to the Commander-in-Chief of Hongnong, but because he was not in his favor, he was dismissed due to illness. After Emperor Wu came to the throne, he used "Anche Pulun" to conquer the country. He died on the way due to old age. Meicheng's main literary achievement is Ci Fu. His "Seven Fa" is rich in diction and magnificent in momentum. Among them, the section "Guangtao" is written with complex sounds and rhythm, which is so powerful and powerful that it makes people feel frightened and shocked, as if they are in the same place. The emergence of "Qifa" marks the formal formation of San Fu in the Han Dynasty. It also influenced the creation of later generations and formed a style of subject-object question and answer in Fu - "Seven Styles". "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" records "nine chapters of Meisheng Fu". Today, there are only three pieces of "Qifa", "Liangwang Tuyuan Fu" and "Wangyouguan Liu Fu". The last two articles are suspected to be fake works. There is a recent collection of "Uncle Mei".
⑷ Sima Xiangru (about 179 BC -?), named Changqing, Han nationality, Shu County (now a native of Chengdu, Sichuan Province). A great poet of the Western Han Dynasty. Sima Xiangru's literary achievements are mainly reflected in his poems and poems.
The most important literary style in the Han Dynasty was Fu, and Sima Xiangru was recognized as a representative writer of Han Fu and a master of Fu theory. He was also a literary master and an aesthetic master. He was the founder of Han Fu. Yang Xiong admired his Fu and said with admiration: "Changqing's Fu does not seem to come from the human world. It is so deified that it is evil." In "Outline of the History of Chinese Literature", Lu Xun put Sima Xiangru and Sima Qian together for a special introduction, and pointed out: "The literati in the reign of Emperor Wu were more likely to write than Sima Xiangru, and more likely to write than Sima Qian." His representative work is "Zixu Fu". The rich vocabulary and grand structure of his works made him a representative writer of Han Fu, and later generations called him "Fu Sheng". The story of his elopement with Zhuo Wenjun is also widely circulated. "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" records "29 poems by Sima Xiangru", among which there are currently "Zixu Fu", "Emperor's Hunting Fu" (i.e. "Shanglin Fu"), "Adult Fu", "Nangmen Fu", "Beautiful Man" There are 6 pieces of "Fu" and "Fu of Ai Qin II", and 3 pieces of "Fu of Pear", "Fu of Fish □" and "Fu of Zishan" only have surviving titles. "Sui Shu·Jing Ji Zhi" contains 1 volume of "Collected Works of Sima Xiangru", which has been lost. Zhang Pu of the Ming Dynasty compiled "Sima Wenyuan Collection" and included it in "Collection of One Hundred and Three Masters of Han, Wei and Six Dynasties".
⑸ Dongfang Shuo (162 BC-93 BC), courtesy name Manqian, was born in Yanci County, Pingyuan (now Shentou Town, Ling County, Shandong Province, also known as Qinfeng Street, Hefang Township, Huimin County, Shandong Province) people. A writer of Ci and Fu in the Western Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty came to the throne and conquered scholars from all over the world. Dongfang Shuo wrote a letter recommending himself and worshiping him as Lang. Later he served as Chang Shilang, Taizhong doctor and other positions. He has a humorous personality, quick words, funny and wise, and often laughs and laughs in front of Emperor Wu, "but he always observes the colors and expresses his advice bluntly" ("Han Shu·Dongfang Shuo Zhuan"). Emperor Wu was very extravagant, and when he came to Shanglin Garden, Dongfang Shuo bluntly remonstrated. He believed that this was "taking the land blessed by the people, which is of no use to the country, and seizing the agricultural and mulberry industry below. If you abandon success, you will fail." ("Han Shu·Dongfang Shuo") 》). He once talked about political gains and losses, and Chen Nong's plan to strengthen the country through war, but Emperor Wu always treated him as a actor and was not allowed to reuse him, so he wrote "Answering Guests" and "On Mr. Fei You" to express his ambitions and dissatisfaction.
⑹ Mei Gao (156 BC-?) was the most accomplished writer in the literary world of the Han Dynasty. He was the concubine of Meicheng, and was worshiped as Lang by Emperor Wu. He is not proficient in classics, but he is humorous and advocating, and he is good at man operas for his poems and poems. However, he was quick-thinking and served around him. Emperor Wu sensed this and often gave him gifts. Important events such as the birth of the prince, his journey to Ganquan Palace, and the sealing of Mount Tai, as well as hunting, riding dogs and horses, and Cuju, are all included in the work. Gao wrote the poems in response to the imperial edict, so the number of poems he wrote was greater than that of others. History says that his works can be read 120 times, and there are dozens more. Ban Gu said that he "had a literary disease, but he succeeded after receiving imperial edicts, so he was given many gifts." His works are not intended to be allegorical and admonishing, but express aesthetic tastes and literary views that are different from traditional ones. However, most of his works were written in a hurry and lacked refinement, so they were rarely circulated in later generations and all were lost.
⑺ Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che (156 BC - 87 BC), Han nationality, with the courtesy name Tong, was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was the tenth son of Han Jing Emperor Liu Qi, the grandson of Han Wen Emperor Liu Heng, the great-nephew of Han Hui Emperor Liu Ying (Liu Ying was the son of Han Gaozu Liu Bang), and the great grandson of Han Gaozu. Liu Che was not only a talented and ambitious politician, but also a poet who loved literature and advocated poetry. Wang Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty believed that his achievements lay in "Changqingxia, Ziyunshang" ("Yiyuan Zhiyan"). Other surviving poems, "Huzi Song", "Tianma Song", "Mourning for Mrs. Li" are also "magnificent and magnificent" "(Xu Zhenqing's "Talking about Art") is highly praised by poetry commentators. His "Autumn Wind Ci", which is clear, meaningful, and smooth in style, has always been praised by people. Although this poem is an impromptu work, it has twists and turns and is written in a tortuous and lingering way. Volume 2 of Shen Deqian's "Source of Ancient Poems": "The legacy of "Li Sao". In the article, the twelfth son says that when one is extremely happy and sad, how cute is his regret?" From the perspective of "The legacy of "Li Sao"", in terms of diction, Shen Deqian's The reviews are very real. Lu Xun called this poem "Lingering and flowing, although the poet can't surpass it."
⑻ Wang Bao (BC? - 61 BC), courtesy name Ziyuan, was a native of Shu Zizhong in the Western Han Dynasty and a poet and poet in the Western Han Dynasty. He is proficient in music and rhythm, and is good at poetry and poetry. "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" records that he has 16 poems. Wang Xianqian's "Supplementary Note" quoted Wang Yinglin as saying: "This biography is "Sweet Spring", "Dongxiao Fu", "Chu Ci" has "Jiu Huai", and "Selected Works" annotated "Ode to the Jade Rooster"." There is currently "Dongxiao Fu" , "Ode to Sweet Spring". Wang Bao was a court poet during the period when the Han Dynasty was changing from prosperity to decline. His poems could be read by the nobles in the harem. Therefore, the subject matter contained many elements of political preaching, but his style also focused on gorgeous rhetoric and vivid images. , so his works have a strong entertainment color. "Sui Shu·Jing Ji Zhi" contains "Wang Praise Collection" in 5 volumes, which has been lost; Zhang Pu of Ming Dynasty compiled "Wang Admonishment Collection" and included it in "Han, Wei and Six Dynasties Collection of One Hundred and Three Families".
⑼ Yang Xiong (53 BC - 18 AD), courtesy name Ziyun, Han nationality, was born in Chengdu, Shu County, Western Han Dynasty (now Youai Town, Pixian County, Chengdu, Sichuan). Western Han Dynasty scholar, poet and linguist. In his early years, Yang Xiong admired Sima Xiangru very much. He imitated Sima Xiangru's "Zixu Fu" and "Shanglin Fu" and wrote "Ganquan Fu", "Yu Lie Fu" and "Changyang Fu", which were on the eve of collapse. The Han Dynasty whitewashed peace and praised virtues. Therefore, he was known as Ma Yang in later generations. In his later years, Yang Xiong had a new understanding of Fu. In "Fa Yan·My Son", he believed that writing Fu was like "a boy carving insects and carving seals" and "a strong man cannot do it"; he also believed that his early Fu was the same as Sima Xiangru's Fu. They all seem to be sarcastic but are actually persuasive.
This understanding had a certain influence on later literary criticism of Fu. Yang Xiong can also be called a master of imitation in prose. For example, he imitated the "Book of Changes" to create "Tai Xuan", and imitated "The Analects of Confucius" to create "Fa Yan", etc. In "Fa Yan", he advocated that literature should be based on the classics and sages, and use Confucian works as a model. This had a great influence on Liu Xie's "Wen Xin Diao Long". Yang Xiong also wrote the linguistics work "Dialects", which is an important material for the study of Western Han language. There are 5 volumes of "Yang Xiong Ji" in Sui Shu·Jing Ji Zhi, which have been lost. Zhang Pu of the Ming Dynasty compiled "The Collection of Yang Shilang".
There were no famous thinkers in the Eastern Han Dynasty!