After the middle of the Ming Dynasty, although there were many poets, the style of poetry declined, and there were even people who wrote lyrics as a reward for flattery. The only commendable poet during this period was Yang Shen, whose style and artistic conception Heroic. Yang Shen, whose courtesy name was Yongxiu and whose nickname was Sheng'an, was later exiled to southern Yunnan, so he called himself a Bonan Mountain native and a Golden Horse and Jade Rooster veteran. Yang Shen's father was the chief minister of the cabinet, named Yang Tinghe. Yang Shen received a good education since childhood and was intelligent by nature. He could recite many poems at the age of 7. When he was 11 years old, he could write modern poetry. At the age of 13, Yang Shen entered the capital with his father. Along the way, he wrote poems such as "Farewell Poems on Passing Weicheng", "Ode to Frost Leaves", "Yong of Mawei Slope", etc. His "Poems of Yellow Leaves" caused a sensation in the capital. At the age of 21, Yang Shen took part in the examination and his article was listed as the first volume. Unexpectedly, the candle burned the examination papers and made him lose his reputation. At the age of 24, he consulted again and won the first place in the palace examination, that is, the number one scholar, and was awarded the Hanlin Academy of Compilation. From then on, he officially entered the political stage of the Ming Dynasty.
Yang Shen is capable of writing, poetry and Sanqu. His works on ancient textual research have a wide range, with more than 100 kinds of works. He is the first of the three great talents of the Ming Dynasty. The lyric that represents the heroic style of Yang Shen's artistic conception is "Linjiang Fairy":
The rolling waters of the Yangtze River pass eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes. Right and wrong, success and failure turn around in vain. The green hills are still there, and the sunset turns red several times. The white-haired fisherman and woodcutter on the Nagisa River is used to watching the autumn moon and spring breeze. Happy reunion over a pot of wine. Many things in ancient and modern times are all talked about with laughter.
As a work that eulogizes history, the poem uses general language to inspire people's rich associations and has a strong historical connotation. The whole poem has a nostalgia for the past, but also expresses ambitions. There is subtlety in the boldness, and depth in the high pitch. While desolate and solemn, it also creates an atmosphere of indifference and tranquility, and a lofty artistic conception is reflected in this atmosphere.
In terms of Ci theory, Yang Shen has also made contributions. He is the author of six volumes of "Ci Pin" and the collections of Ci poems such as "Hundred Fei Pearl" and "Ci Lin Wan Xuan".
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, some small poems describing scenes were also quite successful, such as "The fine clouds are all rolled into the sky like water, the reeds are windy, the pines and bamboos are frosty, and the front stream is even more beautiful" in Wu Kuan's "Picking Mulberries" "Mountain is full of moon"; in Zhao Kuan's "Reduced Words Magnolia: Yao River Blocks the Rain", "White rain falls across the autumn, and the autumn colors are bleak, moving guest boats", "Whose hut is there, there is no one on the desolate path, chrysanthemums are blooming"; in Xia Yan's "Huanxi Sand" "The curtains are exposed to the wind and the swallows lower their breasts, and the frogs are croaking after the rain in the pond. The bright moon shines on the window screen after waking up from wine." They all describe picturesque scenery and a clear and far-reaching artistic conception.
Wang Shizhen, courtesy name Yuanmei, nicknamed Fengzhou. He was quite arrogant and complacent about his lyrics. He once said: "It's only natural for me to be alone in poetry and prose. I have no skills in writing lyrics. I dare to count the number of words." But in fact, the content of his lyrics is narrow and the subject matter is monotonous, especially It's Xiao Ling who really lacks talent.
By the late Ming Dynasty, great changes had taken place in the world of poetry. At this time, the mainstream of the literary world was to return to antiquity, while the Ci circle was calling for the inheritance of Ci tradition in an attempt to revitalize the style of Ci. In particular, some outstanding lyrics by Chen Zilong, Xia Wanchun and others added a lot of color to the poetry world of the Ming Dynasty.
Chen Zilong, originally named Jie, had the courtesy names of Wozi, Maozhong, and Renzhong, and his nicknames were Dazun, Haishi, and Yifu. He was a Jinshi in the tenth year of Chongzhen. He once served as a promotion official in Shaoxing and promoted the military department to Shizhong based on his merits.
Chen Zilong was an important writer in the late Ming Dynasty. He had high achievements in poetry. His poetry style may be tragic and desolate, full of national integrity; it may be elegant and gorgeous; or it may combine the two styles into one. He is good at Qilu, Qiyan Songxing and Qijue, and is recognized as the "Leader of Ming Dynasty Poetry".
Chen Zilong is also good at composing lyrics. He is a famous lyricist of Wanyue Ci and the leader of Yunjian Ci School. He is praised as "the first poet of the Ming Dynasty" by many famous ci critics of later generations.
Chen Zilong can be said to be the first person to truly change the popular style of poetry in the mid-Ming Dynasty. With him as the core, the Yunjian Ci School devoted itself to lyrics and sang harmoniously, making the art of poetry shine again with charming brilliance.
Chen Zilong admires Li Jing and Li Yu of the Southern Tang Dynasty, as well as the famous poets of Huajian Ci, Qin Guan, Zhou Bangyan and others of the Northern Song Dynasty.
In terms of artistic conception, Chen Zilong's words show the characteristics and styles of vivid charm, blending and naturalness, implicit and graceful. These features greatly improved and enhanced the connotation and value of his Ci, making his Ci shine in the Ming Dynasty Ci world, and made a vital contribution to the return of Ci Ci to the styles of the Southern Tang, Huajian and Northern Song Dynasties.
Chen Zilong's poems also contain many poems expressing his gratitude to the country's subjugation, such as "Tang Duoling Cold Food":
The green grass leads to the fragrant forest, the cold pond swells and the water is deep, and the wind and rain stop it at the fifth watch. Yao Cen. The tears flying on the flowers under the rain cannot be blown away, and it is a dilemma. The double-strand embroidery plate is made of gold, and the flat sand and oil wall are invading. The palace people are slanting outside and the willows are shaded. Looking back at the Songbai Road in Xiling, my heart breaks. Be united.
Another example is "A Touch of Red Lip·Feelings of the Wind and Rain in Spring", which also contains many miserable voices:
The eyes are full of youth, and the east wind is used to blowing away the red. After several rounds of smoke, only the flowers can't be protected. Acacia in the dream, so the king Sun Lu. Spring has no owner, where the cuckoo sings, and tears stain the rouge rain.
Others like "Er Lang Shen: Reflections on the Qingming Festival", "What I hate the most is the grass growing every year, no matter what the country is like"; "Sighing in front of the Xiuling Palace, the wild old man swallowed his voice, "The sky is full of wind and rain" is full of deep emotions for home and country.
In addition to Chen Zilong, Xia Wanchun and others also wrote excellent works that express emotions, such as "Twelve jade railings, the wind blows the lights and extinguishes them, and there are a few lines of tears at dusk," in Xia Wanchun's "Bu Shuanzi" "The crow crows at the moon"; Zhang Huangyan said in "The Willow Shaoqing" "This body is given to the heaven, and I will never ask Qinguan and Hanguan. I look at each other with tears in the white-haired mirror and the green duckweed box." Some are melancholy, some are generous, and they are all full of deep feelings for the country.