Han Yu and others raised the banner of "restoration" and advocated learning ancient prose and practicing ancient Taoism in order to promote their political opinions and Confucianism. This idea received strong support from Liu Zongyuan and others and received widespread response from society, gradually forming a wave of mass struggle.
It overwhelmed parallel prose and formed a far-reaching "movement". This movement has its development process. When parallel prose became popular, some people already put forward demands for reform. In the early Tang Dynasty, Chen Ziang once advocated "restoration" and was a pioneer in stylistic innovation.
Afterwards, Xiao Yingshi, Li Hua and others successively put forward the idea of ??adopting the method of Three Dynasties and Two Han Dynasties, making ideological preparations for the Han-Liu Classical Prose Movement. Although the Tang Dynasty suffered from the An-Shi Rebellion during the Mid-Tang Dynasty and its national power was weak, after Zhenyuan, the society was temporarily stable and the economy developed.
There is hope for "ZTE". In this way, the time was ripe for Han Yu and others to advocate the classical prose movement. They put forward the slogans of "carrying the way" and "clearing the way", which were the basic theories of the ancient prose movement.
They attach great importance to the writer's moral cultivation and realistic feelings, emphasizing the need to "state the truth" (Han Yu's "Reply to Li Yi Shu") and "the words must be written by oneself" (Han Yu's "Nanyang Fan Shaosu Epitaph") of originality.
On the one hand, they practiced it themselves, and on the other hand, they trained many young writers, making the classical prose movement increasingly powerful. Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan were representatives of the ancient prose movement in the Tang Dynasty. They advocated ancient literature in order to promote ancient ways and revive Confucianism.
Han Yu said, "Study the ancient Tao and want to understand its diction; those who understand its diction are those who originally aspire to the ancient Tao" ("After the Inscription of Ouyang Sheng's Elegies"). Therefore, their ancient literary theories put Ming Dao first.
However, Han Yu particularly emphasized Confucian benevolence, righteousness and morality, while Liu Zongyuan advocated "taking supplementary time and object as the way" ("Reply to Wu Wuling on Fei Guoyu Shu"). The ancient prose movement of the Tang Dynasty made a major contribution to the development history of ancient Chinese prose.
It reversed the trend of formalism that had long dominated the literary world, inherited the fine traditions of early prose and made innovations and developments, thereby creating a new situation in prose writing and correcting the development direction of ancient prose.
Extended information:
Theoretical claims of the Tang people:
The proposition of literary restoration was not an initiative of the Tang people. Su Chuo of the Western Wei Dynasty and Li E of the Sui Dynasty have been mentioned, but they have not had any actual impact. Chen Zi'ang in the early Tang Dynasty advocated elegance and elegance, although it had a great influence in the Tang Dynasty.
However, there is no general atmosphere of reform of style and style. It was not until Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan proposed the revival of Confucianism that "literature should clarify the Tao" that the trend of literary restoration reached its peak. ?
Before Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan, Xiao Yingshi and Li Hua advocated Zongjing. Because of Zongjing, they naturally moved toward the restoration of literature and denied the literature of the Song and Wei and Jin Dynasties. Duguji advocated "morality first, literature second" and emphasized that articles should be conducive to enlightenment.
As for Liu Mian, he proposed that "literature should clarify the Tao", emphasizing the educational function of articles and denying all literariness in the history of literature that has nothing to do with enlightenment. ?On the basis of inheriting their predecessors, Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan put forward a clearer and more realistic theory of ancient prose.
Han Liu believed that, first of all, "Civilization should clarify the Tao". Secondly, while advocating "literature to clarify the Tao", we are also fully aware of the role of "literature" and learn from others' strengths in order to write good articles. Han Yu mentioned many times that "Yu's ambition is in the ancient way and his words are very good."
Liu Zongyuan also said, "If there is meaning without writing, there will be mud, but writers are indispensable!" This attitude of emphasizing both doctrine and writing is different from the previous ancient writers. Thirdly, Han Liu believes that "self-reliance and non-conformity" are the key to innovation.
Han Yu believed that when learning ancient prose, one should "learn its meaning, not its words." He advocated writing ancient prose in terms of article style but firmly opposed imitation. Fourth, Han Yu's essay attaches great importance to the writer's moral cultivation and the emotional power of the article, believing that this is the key to writing a good article. ?
From Xiao Yingshi, Li Hua to Dugu Ji and then to Liu Mian, they all explored the reform of literary style, which was of positive significance at the time, but they all emphasized education and denied all literary works. attitude is biased.
Their theoretical propositions are empty words and lack practical character. Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan’s ancient prose propositions put forward equal emphasis on literature and Taoism, as well as a more complete theory of ancient prose.
Provides a basis for the writing of ancient prose. However, this kind of literary theory of "literacy to clarify the Tao" that focuses on education makes the article full of Taoism and lacks true feelings.
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Baidu Encyclopedia-Tang and Song Dynasty Classical Prose Movement