The reasons for the change of literati's evaluation of Cao Zhi in Ming and Qing Dynasties

Cao Zhi was a famous writer and politician in the Three Kingdoms period. His poems, essays and other works are called "Cao Shi's Collected Works" by later generations. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the evaluation of Cao Zhi experienced certain changes.

In the early Ming Dynasty, due to the prevalence of Confucianism at that time, Cao Zhi, a talented person who was good at emotional expression and informal, was not highly praised. However, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, scholars gradually lost confidence in the classical literary tradition and began to pursue personalized innovation. In this context, Cao Zhi has become a highly respected and respected object. Especially in southern areas (such as Jiangnan), it has attracted more attention because of its originality and artistry.

Critics in the Qing Dynasty thought that Cao Zhi was too indulgent in self-expression and lacked rigor. At the same time, some people think that his struggle with power involves too many political issues, which affects his reputation. Generally speaking, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, "Cao Wei" writers and their works were largely ignored or excluded; It was not until modern times that it attracted widespread attention and research again.