Poetry expresses ambition:
"Poetry expresses aspiration" is the understanding of China ancient literary critics on the essential characteristics of poetry. The idea of "expressing ambition with poetry" has sprouted in the author's description of the purpose of writing poetry in The Book of Songs. As a theoretical term, it was first mentioned in Zuo Zhuan's Twenty-seven Years of "xianggong" that Zhao Wenzi told Xiang Shu to "express his ambition through poetry". Later, the saying that "poetry expresses ambition" became more common. Shun said in Shangshu Shundian: "Poetry expresses ambition, and Song always said that sound is eternal and law is harmonious." "Zhuangzi Tianxiapian" said: "Poetry is based on Tao." "Xunzi Confucianism" said: "Poetry is its ambition."
Meaning change
The meaning of "poetry expressing ambition" mentioned by various factions is not exactly the same.
The so-called "expressing ambition with poetry" in Zuo Zhuan means "expressing ambition with poetry", that is, borrowing or extending some chapters in the Book of Songs to imply one's political and religious embrace.
"Poetry expresses ambition" in Yao Dian refers to "poetry expresses the poet's ambition", and the meaning of this "ambition" focuses on thoughts, ambitions and aspirations.
After the mid-Warring States period, the meaning of "ambition" gradually expanded due to the emphasis on lyric characteristics of poetry and the development of a hundred schools of thought contending. The "ambition" in Confucius' era mainly refers to political aspirations, which can be seen from Confucius' views on disciples' aspirations in The Analects of Confucius. And Zhuangzi's "ambition" that "poetry is based on Tao" refers to people's thoughts, wishes and feelings in a general sense. In Li Sao, it is said that "to bend people's hearts to control their ambitions" and "to save people's lives to control their ambitions". Although the content of this ambition is still dominated by Qu Yuan's political ideal ambition, it obviously contains anger and hatred for villains caused by the failure of political ideal ambition. As for what he said in Huai Sha, "If you care about your feelings, you will be happy, but if you are wronged, you will be restrained." "If you are determined to have lofty aspirations, why are you afraid?" . The "ambition" here actually refers to all his inner thoughts, wishes and feelings. It can be seen that the content of "poetry expressing ambition" in the pre-Qin period developed and changed.
By the Han dynasty, people's understanding of the essential characteristics of poetry, that is, "poetry expresses people's thoughts and feelings and presents people's spiritual world", basically became clear. "Preface to Mao Poetry" says: "The poet's ambition lies in his heart, his words are poems, his emotions are in the middle, and his words are in form." Emotions are put together and linked, which is more pertinent and objective.