The so-called realism generally refers to the theoretical proposition about the relationship between writers' works and reality. Realism can refer to a school in the history of literature and art, and it can also refer to the writer's creative method of dealing with the relationship between works and reality when creating. These two aspects of realism are both related and different. However, more conscious realistic theories tend to give consideration to these two aspects. Bai Juyi's realistic poetry theory is as follows: 1. The evaluation of the relationship between writers' works and reality since the Book of Songs, that is, the ups and downs of realism schools in the history of literature; Secondly, on the basis of commenting on the development history of realistic poetry, this paper puts forward the creative methods of realistic poetry. The following introduces Bai's theoretical ideas in these two aspects and makes a brief evaluation.
First, a review of the development history of realistic poetry since The Book of Songs
Starting from the relationship between poetry and reality, Bai discussed the history of poetry development since The Book of Songs. He believes that The Book of Songs can best deal with the relationship between poetry and reality, and later poets failed to consciously and completely inherit the excellent tradition of The Book of Songs. Nine Books of Yuyuan holds that the Book of Songs is the first of the six classics and the first of "humanism" because its essential characteristics are "root sentiment, Miao language, Hua Sheng and true meaning", and its "six meanings" (wind, elegance, ode, fu, comparison and glory) are the standards of poetry creation and criticism. Communicating feelings through poetry can achieve political clarity, national prosperity and people's security prosperity. Bai stressed the need to inherit the excellent tradition of poetry: "What about poetry? Six meanings are passed on to each other, and Yasheng is prosperous. " Based on this standard, Bai criticized Li Sao and the five-character poems of Han Dynasty for paying too much attention to expressing personal grievances, and only "123" was satirized in the poems; He even held a negative attitude towards the landscape poems of the Six Dynasties. As for the Tang poetry, he only affirmed those poems that are closely related to reality and have strong political ideological inclination, such as Chen Ziang's Twenty Poems about Huai, Bao Zhao's Fifteen Poems about Huai, and Du Fu's New Poems about Yuefu. As for some poems in the Tang Dynasty, especially for the ten gifted scholars in Dali, he lamented that "the poetic way collapsed." Bai Juyi consciously inherited and carried forward the tradition of realism since the Book of Songs, and repeatedly expounded the creative methods of realism.
Second, the discussion about realistic creation methods.
First, I think poetry comes from real life, and poetry must reflect real life. He pointed out in Celine Sixty-eight: "If a great mortal feels useless, he will be moved by emotion, then he will sigh, he will sing, but he will be in the form of a poem." Poetry expresses human feelings, which are caused by objective facts in real life. This objective fact that causes people's emotions is often related to the ups and downs of national politics. Poetry comes from reality, but it also reflects reality. "The wind of the old country is ups and downs, as seen from Sri Lanka; The gains and losses of the king are also heard; Sri Lanka also knows the joys and sorrows of human feelings. " From the poems of different times, we can see that the social atmosphere at that time was either prosperous or declining, the rulers' politics gained or lost, and the people's feelings were sad or happy. Bai takes the works in The Book of Songs as an example to prove this point. In a word, Bai believes that the relationship between poetry and reality is close, and poetry has the essential characteristics of rooting in reality and reflecting reality.
Second, it is believed that poetry must serve to improve real politics and consolidate the existing imperial power. Starting from the relationship between poetry and reality, Bai believes that poetry must serve real politics, and has expounded this view many times. "Nine Books with the Same Yuan" said: "When the article is written, the songs and poems are written in the matter." The "time" and "things" here refer to real politics and social life closely related to it. This standard is aimed at lyric works that try to transcend real politics. Bai regards his satirical poems as poetic admonitions. Jiu Shu Tong Yuan said that he was a remonstrator and he should remonstrate dutifully every month in an attempt to improve real politics. Some words of "relieving people's pain and making up for the lack of time" are difficult to say directly in recitation, and "singing" has been replaced by poetry. Bai is very proud of the strong repercussions caused by his own poems, such as his poems, his poems about crying holes, and his "Su Zige's Village", which make powerful people "look at each other and turn pale". They attacked Bai Juyi for "fishing for fame", "contempt" and "slander" his relatives. However, Bai has like-minded friends in poetry circles, such as those who enjoy reading Bai poetry and those who cry when reading Bai poetry, not to mention the like-minded people in the new Yuefu movement. Qin Zhongyin and other famous works are also widely circulated among the people. Therefore, Bai firmly and repeatedly expounded the proposition that poetry must serve the real political and social life, "It can edify the world and help the people" (Reading Ancient Yuefu), "Only songs can make people sick, and hope that you can know" (Sending), "In short, it is for the monarch, for the people, for things and for things, not for writing. I even think that persuading good and punishing evil can improve social atmosphere, make up for gains and losses, and improve real politics, mainly relying on the creation of poetry and prose. " Therefore, the handle of punishing evil and promoting good depends on the praise and criticism of the scribes; Make up for gains and losses and talk about the beauty of poets. "("Celin Sixty-eight ")
Thirdly, the relationship between poetry and reality determines the essential characteristics and social functions of poetry. "Nine Books of Imperial Garden" said; "Touching people, don't be sentimental, don't start with words, don't cut your voice, don't be profound. Poet: root affection, Miao language, Hua Sheng, true meaning. " Although poetry is the collective creation of a specific poet or a certain era or region, it can arouse readers' admiration. The most touching thing is emotion. The emotional communication between people is first through language, then through rhythmic and musical singing, and then through condensed meaning. This collection of words, sounds and meanings that convey people's feelings is poetry. Bai compared the growth process of fruit trees to the process of poetry creation, and defined the essential characteristics of poetry: "Poet: root feeling, Miao character, Hua Sheng, true meaning". The tree of poetry, rooted in emotion and deeply rooted in the soil of reality, can grow and develop. When the tree of poetry sprouts, the expression of feelings depends on language. Language is the most basic element of poetry. When Miao Miao grows up, her feelings should be expressed in a more perfect and complicated way. Rhythmic and musical singing makes the tree of poetry bloom. Flowers are beautiful, but the tree of poetry with strong vitality is not satisfied with flowering; Feelings are touching, but beautiful poems are not satisfied with lyricism. The tree of poetry bears fruit, and realistic poetry aims to express the poet's will to improve social politics and real life. Related to this, Bai attaches importance to the cognitive function and educational function of poetry. "Celin Sixty-eight" puts forward that poetry mainly plays the role of "punishing good and evil" and "making up for gains and losses". After expounding the essential characteristics of poetry, Yuan Jiu Shu pointed out: "Grouping but sharing the same spirit, different shapes but different feelings, silence but no response, love without feeling." Bai basically denies the expression of personal feelings that are not closely related to real politics. Therefore, Bai's evaluation of the history of poetry development since The Book of Songs affirmed the relative narrowness of the writer's works. The reason lies in Bai's discussion on the social function of poetry, which mainly focuses on the cognitive function and educational function. Aesthetic function must be based on cognitive function and educational function.
Fourth, the primary criterion of poetry criticism is loyalty, and content is more important than form. Starting from the relationship between poetry and reality and social function, Bai emphasized that the critical standard of poetry is "faithfulness", that is, loyalty to social reality. The Preface to New Yuefu said: "Facts are true, so that the adopters can pass the message." Therefore, Bai denied writing romantic works with ideals as the main theme and lyricism as the main theme, and expressed dissatisfaction or even denial with the works of Qu Yuan and Li Bai. Regarding the relationship between content and form of poetry, he emphasized the unity of content and form. The so-called "root feeling, Miao character, Hua Sheng and true meaning", from the perspective of specific works, the starting point is "feeling" and the end result is "reality", all of which refer to content; In the process of writing, artistic forms such as "speech" and "sound" all serve the content. As far as the style of writing is concerned, it advocates simplicity and popularization, and opposes gorgeous piling up. The preface to the new Yuefu says: "His words have a qualitative diameter, and those who want to see them are easy to distinguish;" His words are straightforward and to the point, giving a profound warning to those who want to listen ... On the basis of his body, he further developed the previous realistic poetry theory and made it systematic. Judging from the reality at that time, it promoted the healthy development of the poetry innovation movement. In the mid-Tang Dynasty, there were many contradictions on the surface, political darkness, and people's lives were miserable. The unhealthy trend of poetry creation is influenced by ten talented people (Lu Lun, Ji Zhongfu, Han Yi, Qian Qi, Si Kongshu, Miao Fa, Cui Yao, Geng Biao, Xiahou Shen and Li Rui) who are divorced from politics and escape from reality. More than 20 years from the beginning of Dali to the middle of Zhenyuan is the low tide and bee waist stage of Tang poetry development. Most of them float in the upper class of society, and rarely reflect the turbulent real life and people's sufferings after the An Shi Rebellion. Many people sing songs to each other and give them to dignitaries. The content is also sentimental, chanting landscapes and pastoral areas, which is seriously divorced from social life. Bai's contribution to the New Poetry Movement and the Cultural Revolution in Tang Dynasty is mainly reflected in his rectification of decadent school and his targeted exposition of realistic poetry theory. Its deficiency lies in the one-sided emphasis on the relationship between poetry and real politics, and the lack of necessary discussion on the image, diversity and prevarication of poetry when it reflects reality.
The Contributions and Deficiencies of Bai Juyi's Realistic Poetry Theory
Contributions include history and reality. In the history of criticism, it marks the maturity of realistic poetry theory in ancient literary theory. Starting from the pre-Qin and Han Dynasties, by summarizing the creative experience and social functions of The Book of Songs, a theoretical proposition of attaching importance to the relationship between poetry and reality was formed.
On the basis of summarizing predecessors' theoretical achievements, combined with his own and contemporaries' understanding of the creation of classics, Bai showed narrowness and rashness towards the works of writers who paid attention to ideals and lyricism, lacked a fair attitude towards different styles of poetry, and lacked the necessary understanding of the diversity of poetic artistic styles. Therefore, Bai's evaluation of the works of some writers in the previous generation and the Tang Dynasty is unfair and incomplete. The subjective evaluation of most of his own works except satirical poems, especially immortal masterpieces such as Pipa Xing and Song of Eternal Sorrow, is inconsistent with the objective influence of these works. "Time is important, and servants are light" ("Nine Books with the Same Yuan"). Due to these obvious limitations and deficiencies, there have always been different opinions on the evaluation of the theory and works of white realism poetry.