Abstract

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Title:: The Relationship between Wang Guowei’s Criticism on Ci Poets and Trends in Ci Poetry Creation in the Late Qing Dynasty

Keywords:: Wang Guowei; Jiang Kui; Zhou Bangyan; Wu Wengying; trends in ci poetry of the late Qing Dynasty; New Culture Movement

Abstract:: Wang Guowei commented much on such ci poets in his Ren Jian Ci Hua(Poetic Remarks in the Human World)as Jiang Kui, Zhou Bangyan and Wu Wengying. Wang’s criticism of these poets is closely related with his artistic conception of ci poetry, which regards works in the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty as the model of ci poetry. But the original intention of Wang was ignored by most scholars represented by Zhu Guangqian and Tang Guizhang in the 1930s and 1940s. However, Wu Zhengzhu was one of the minorities who tried to understand Wang’s purpose in terms of the development of ci poetry in the Qing Dynasty. Wang Guowei’s theory intends to divert the creation of ci poems from deliberate simulation and decoration, hence being revolutionary in this sense. His revolutionary ideas are actually in agreement with the theories proposed by the New Culture Movement scholars represented by Hu Shi. Therefore, Wang was regarded as a pioneer of the new literature movement. In addition, his literary practice is basically in line with his theory, which connects the universal philosophical principles with the natural taste and spirit embodied by the ci poetry of the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty and explores a new approach to ci poetry creation. Wang’s contribution thus requires understanding from a new perspective.