Mei Zhongjing
China's classical literature is a wonderful presentation of China's traditional culture. It has a long history, rich connotation, rich national aesthetic flavor and permanent artistic charm. As the two sources of realism and romanticism in China's literature, The Book of Songs and Songs of the South, with their profound cultural connotations and far-reaching influences, are at the top of the traditional cultural halls in China. To understand the essence of China literature and even China culture, we must interpret The Book of Songs and Songs of the South.
The Book of Songs and the Realistic Tradition of China Literature
China is a country of poetry. All ethnic groups have their own unique poems. The tradition of poetry has a long history and is rich and charming. As the oldest collection of poems in China, The Book of Songs indicates that China's poetry culture has made great achievements. In the cultural history of China and even the world, The Book of Songs not only has great literary value, but also has important historical value for the study of ancient history. Many Yuan Dian in China's cultural tradition can be found in The Book of Songs. The spirit contained in The Book of Songs is related to China people's national character, folk demands, cultural outlook and political experience. Today's party and government leading cadres can learn a lot from it.
Chu Ci and the Romantic Spirit of China Literature
Chu Ci is the lyric poetry of Chu people. It is a new poetic genre formed in the south of Chu in the 4th century BC (the end of the Warring States Period). After The Book of Songs, China's poetry circle was silent for about 300 years. The appearance of Chu Ci pushed China's poetry to the second peak.
Different from the simple realistic writing in The Book of Songs, Chu Ci is romantic, with unrestrained feelings, strange imagination, gorgeous literary talent and style, and full of Chu local characteristics and mythological colors. Different from the simple four-character poem style in The Book of Songs, the sentence structure of Songs of Chu is more fleXible, with the word "xi" at the end of the sentence, and many Chu dialect words are used in the sentence, which has a unique rhythm and is more suitable for expressing rich and complicated thoughts and feelings.
If The Book of Songs represents the Central Plains culture at that time, then The Songs of Chu is the product of the highly developed southern culture at that time. Chu, isolated in the south, has a unique geographical environment and superior natural conditions, and its political system, cultural traditions and customs are very different from those of other countries in the Central Plains. "Chu people believe in witches and ghosts, and attach importance to obscenity and worship" (Geography of Hanshu), where witchcraft prevails and witchcraft songs flourish. Chu's music and dance art is developed (such as chime music and dance), and the performance forms of songs, dances and music are full of strong lyricism and artistic imagination, romantic and enthusiastic. Cultural exchanges between North and South have gradually expanded. These factors contributed to the formation and development of Chu Ci.