Night Talk among Mountain People: Three Stages of Poetry Creation

Yan Yu, a poetic theorist in the Southern Song Dynasty, said in Cang Lang Shi Hua: "There are three sections in learning poetry: first, I don't know likes and dislikes at first, and I am full of articles. It is extremely difficult to feel ashamed and cringe at first; Very thorough, then seven vertical and eight horizontal, handy, the head is the Tao. "

The "festival" mentioned here is the "stage" of learning poetry.

The first stage, beginner, or superficial stage. I don't know much about poetry at this stage, and I often write several poems a day. There are many works that are extravagant and uninhibited, but we proudly call them "individuality". In fact, we don't understand poetry, and we have no fear of poetry, so we have no scruples. There are many such people now, and many of them have made headlines! As the saying goes, "A full bottle is silent, but a half bottle shakes."

The second stage is the stage of entering the classroom. The poet has realized his previous position and recklessness, and has a "heart of awe" for poetry, so he "cowered at first" and gradually realized that poetry is not that simple.

The ancients said that "it is easy but difficult to write poetry with both talents, learning and knowledge".

At this stage, the poet gradually understands the difficulty of writing, so at this stage, the poet's writing will inevitably become rigorous and cautious. Often considering the quality of the work, there is little creation. You must think it over and over again before you dare to write, and your works will be reduced accordingly.

The third stage, the master and the master stage. Poets at this stage will gradually reach a "thorough" understanding of poetry after accumulating knowledge and honing their writing skills, which is the so-called "natural realm". At this stage, the poet's words and deeds are full of poetry and interest. Mastering the means and language of poetry creation has become the instinct of poets.