Meaning: The wonder of literature is like the jade hidden in the stone that makes the mountains shine, or the pearls in the water that make the rivers beautiful.
From: "Wen Fu" Wei and Jin Dynasties: Lu Ji
Poet information: Lu Ji?
Lu Ji (261-303), courtesy name Shiheng, A native of Wu County, Wu County (now Suzhou, Jiangsu Province), he was a writer and calligrapher of the Western Jin Dynasty. He was the grandson of Prime Minister Lu Xun and the son of Grand Sima Lu Kang. Together with his younger brother Lu Yun, he was called "Erlu". After the fall of Sun Wu, he served as an official in the Sima clan of the Jin Dynasty. He served successively as Pingyuan's internal historian, sacrificial wine maker, and author, and was known as "Lu Pingyuan" in the world. Later, he died in the "Eight Kings Rebellion" and was conquered by the three tribes. He is "a rare genius, and his articles are among the best" ("Book of Jin·Biography of Lu Ji"). Together with his younger brother Lu Yun, he was a famous writer in China's Western Jin Dynasty, and was known as the "Hero of Taikang". Lu Ji was also an outstanding calligrapher, and his "Pingfu Tie" is the earliest authentic calligraphy of a celebrity that has survived in medieval times.
1. Poet’s story: Lu Ji stopped writing
In the early years of the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji wrote "Sandu Fu". Zuo Si, who was born in a poor family, was also writing at that time. Lu Ji responded to this Very disapproving. But when Zuo Si spent ten years completing "Sandu Fu", "rich and noble families competed to write it, and Luoyang was very expensive for it." After Lu Ji read "Sandu Fu" written by Zuo Si, he was so impressed that he burned his manuscript of "Sandu Fu" to show that he had stopped writing. Later, there was an allusion of "Lu Ji stopped writing".
2. Horse Dog Message
Lu Ji had a famous dog named Huang Er, and he loved it. Later, he lived in the capital. He didn't ask about family affairs for a long time, so he smiled and said to the dog, "I haven't had any letters for a long time. Can you send a letter to get the news?" The dog barked, wagging its tail. Lu Ji then wrote a letter in a bamboo tube and tied it around the dog's neck. The dog walked south along the road and reached his home. He received a reply and returned to Luoyang. After that it became routine.
3. Appreciation: "Wen Fu" is the earliest treatise in China that systematically discusses issues of literary creation. The full text is written in the form of a fu. In "Wen Fu", Lu Ji used his personal experience of literary practice to vividly describe and analyze the psychological characteristics and process of creation, and express his thoughts on aesthetic education. Mainly include: (1) "Emotions are derived from physical sensations, and literature is derived from emotions." (2) "Covering the heaven and earth within the form, suppressing all things within the pen." (3) "The meeting of the response, the record of the passage of the fortress". (4) "His understanding is also skillful, and his words are also elegant." (5) "Wen Fu" divides literary styles into ten types and briefly outlines the characteristics of each style.
"Wen Fu" is the earliest monograph on the study of the characteristics of literary creation in ancient my country. It has important significance and value in the history of aesthetics.