A History of Literature in the Ming Dynasty (Qizhen Humanities and Social Sciences Library)

This book explores poems, novels, legends, operas and other genres of writing from the Ming Dynasty. It is composed of two parts: the literary history; and comprehensive reference materials based on the compilation of several chronologies. By studying individual literary works, the book analyzes the basic laws of the development of literature during the Ming Dynasty, and explores the influences of people, time, and place on literature from a sociological perspective. In turn, it conducts a contrastive analysis of Chinese and Western literature, based on similar works from the same literary genre and their creative methods. The book also investigates the relationship between literary theory and literary creation practices, including those used at various poetry schools. In closing, it studies the unique aesthetic traits of related works. Sharing valuable insights and perspectives, the book can serve as a role model for future literary history studies. It offers a unique resource for literary researchers, reference guide for students and educators, and lively read for members of the general public. Preface The Origin Contents 1 Literature of the Early Ming Dynasty 1.1 Gemini: Song Lian and Liu Ji 1.2 The Grievous and Indignant Voice of Prosperous Times of the Four Great Men in Wuzhong 1.3 The Beginning of the Literary Retro 1.4 Qu You and New Remarks by Oil Lamp 1.5 Zhu Youdun and the Changes in Zaju 2 The Evolution from the Southern Drama to the Chuanqi Drama 2.1 The Linkage and Differences Between the Southern Operas and the Legend 2.2 Dramatists During the Transitional Period Between the Southern Opera and the Legend 3 The Completion and Achievements of Full-Length Novels of Accumulated Collective Creation Through Generations (I) 3.1 The Early Full-Length Novels and Collectively-Created Works Through Generations 3.2 Luo Guanzhong and the Adaptation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin 3.3 The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Unfold the Heroic Scrolls of History 3.4 Water Margin: The Legendary Life of Art Fiction 4 The Completion and Achievements of Full-Length Novels of Accumulated Collective Creation Through Generations (II) 4.1 Journey to the West: Twisted Minds Create New Myths 4.1.1 The process of the creation of Journey to the West 4.1.2 Journey to the West and the Adapter of the Final Version 4.1.3 The Main Idea and the Artistic Features of Journey to the West 4.2 Golden Lotus: The New World of Secular Life 4.2.1 The Publication, Adapters, Dates and Editions of Golden Lotus 4.2.2 The Literary Achievements of Golden Lotus and Its Significance in Literary History 4.2.3 The Creative Tendency of Golden Lotus 4.3 The International Dissemination of the “Four Masterpieces” 4.4 A Brief Account for the Other Full-Length Novels of the Collective Creation from Accumulation of Generations 4.4.1 Stories of Gods and Demons 4.4.2 The Poetic Stories on History—Poetic Stories on the King of Qin in the Tang Dynasty 4.4.3 Historical Novels of the Sui and Tang Dynasties 4.4.4 Public Case Stories 5 Individually Created Full-Length Novels That Stand Out from the Collective Creations 5.1 The Rise of Individually Created Full-Length Novels 5.2 A Brief Account of the Full-length Novels Created by Individuals 6 The Crisis, Development and Retro of the Literature in the Middle of the Ming Dynasty 6.1 The Formation of Three Yangs Bureaucratic Group and the Secretariat Poetic Style 6.2 Li Dongyang’s Exploration of the Ming Poetry 6.3 The Doctrine of Literary Retro and Creative Practice of the Early Seven Scholars 6.4 Yu Qian, Yang Shen and the Literati of Wuzhong 6.5 The First Anti-retro School 7 The Retro and Anti-Retro Trends in the Literature of the Late Ming Dynasty 7.1 The Retro Flag Planted by the Latter Seven Scholars 7.2 Li Zhi’s Doctrine of Childlike Innocence and His Writings 7.3 The Poetic Creation of Xu Wei and Tang Xianzu 7.4 The Counterattack of Gong’an School Against Retro Trends 7.5 A New Style of Tranquility and Solitude Developed by the Jingling School 8 The Creation of Zaju Drama in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty 8.1 The Four Sad Sounds of the Ape and Other Works by Xu Wei 8.2 Meng Chengshun and Other Masters of the Late Ming Dynasty 8.3 Meng Chengshun and Other Dramatists in the Late Ming Dynasty 9 The Flourishing of the Literati’s Chuanqi 9.1 The Reform of Kun Opera by Wei Liangfu 9.1.1 Liang Chenyu and Laundering Gauze 10 Tang Xianzu: The Legendary Drama Master of a Generation 10.1 The Bumpy Life of Tang Xianzu 10.2 The Formation of Tang Xianzu’s Thoughts and Four Dreams of Linchuan 10.3 An Unprecedented Masterpiece: Peony Pavilion 10.4 The Tune of “Four Dreams of Lin Chuan” and the Disputes Between Tang and Shen 10.5 The Opera Views in On Qingyuan Opera Master of Yihuang County 11 The Compilation of Vernacular Short Novels and the Prosperous Development of Imitating Vernacular Novels 11.1 Definition and Evolution of Vernacular Novels and Imitating Vernacular Novels 11.2 Feng Menglong and the Compilation of Three Enlightenment 11.3 Two Admonition Books, Motto for Behaviors and Other Imitating Vernacular Texts Written by Literati 11.4 The Novelettes of Erotic in Common Books 11.5 The Influence of Later Classical Chinese Novels on the Creation of Imitating Vernacular Novels 12 The Apocalyptic Brilliance of Poem and Prose in the Ming Dynasty 12.1 The Unique Beauty of Zhang Dai’s Essays 12.2 The Elegy of Chen Zilong and Xia Wanchun 13 The Last Glory of the Chuanqi Dramas in the Ming Dynasty 13.1 Yuan Yuling and The West Tower 13.2 Wu Bing and Five Legends of Blooming Study 13.3 Meng Chenshun and Ruan Dacheng 14 Ci Poetry and the Off-stage Tunes 14.1 The Endeavors of Ci Poetry Writers of the Ming Dynasty in Its Decline 14.1.1 The Creation and Development of the Off-stage Tune 15 The Popular Folk Songs and Tunes Prevailing Across the Changjiang River 15.1 The Outshining Popular Folk Songs and Tunes 15.2 The Singing of Love from Popular Folk Songs and Tunes 15.3 The Disclosure of Social Maladies from Popular Folk Songs and Tunes Postscript I Postscript II Postscript of Second Edition Enclosed with: Bibliography of Major Citations A Brief Chronology of the Ming Dynasty