Abstract：The study of author’s identity is an important dimension of literary research. In the field of Ci, most scholars focus on the objective identity phenomenon of lyricists, using it as an opportunity to discuss how authors write. However, there is a scarcity of discussion on the concept of the identity of Ci Writers.Ci has been detached from the Confucian value of being the Big Other since its inception, which has also led to the constant anxiety of deviation when literati participate in the creation of Ci. During the Tang and Northern Song Dynasties, being skilled in writing Ci was often not considered something to boast about, and the content of the Ci was not considered to be related to the author’s own sentiments. The self-awareness and evolution of the identity concept of Ci Writers imply a process of the anxiety brought about by the lyricist’s resistance to the Confucian values of being the Big Other.Attaining an exclusive title signifies the lyricist’s self-awareness of their identity. Prior to the emergence of Ci, Ci Writers (Ciren) often referred to individuals skilled in literary expressions or authors of Ci Fu, frequently finding themselves excluded from the Confucian value system. During the Southern Song Dynasty, lyricists acquired a heightened self-awareness of their identity and formally adopted “Ci Writers” as a specialized title. The meaning of Ci Writers includes a pre-understanding of their identity: deviating from orthodoxy, carrying identity anxiety, and holding the potential for upward mobility.During the Northern Song Dynasty, lyricists held a dual identity of literati and Ci Writers, yet they lacked conscious awareness of the identity of Ci Writers, and failed to develop a concept of compatibility with this dual identity. In contrast to the Northern Song Dynasty, the status of literati in the later period of the Southern Song Dynasty was relatively diminished. They wandered on the edge of Confucian values, without the weighty burden of Confucianism. Consequently, they confronted both their professional literati roles and the identity of Ci Writers, evolving an identity pattern of “Ci Writers-Literati”. It can be said that the transformation of the identity of literary authors in the Southern Song Dynasty from literati to professional literati was the motivation for the conscious acquisition of their identity as Ci Writers. It did not imply the elimination of anxiety but rather a compromise with reality prompted by the modesty of their own identity during moments of anxiety.To overcome the anxiety of identity imposed by Confucianism on the author, inclusion in the Confucian literary genre based on the principle of “expressing one’s will” becomes imperative. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the content of Ci was often considered unrelated to the author’s genuine emotions, leading to its exclusion from the Confucian poetic tradition of “expressing one’s will”. Only during the Ming Dynasty did the concept of “Ci as its author” become self-evident, transforming Ci into a genre capable of articulating one’s “will”. This transformation served as a prerequisite for entering the Confucian literary genre, ultimately leading to the elimination of identity anxiety.As the academic atmosphere of the Qing Dynasty shifted towards positivism, scholars who studied Confucian classics (jingsheng) participated in the creation of Ci. The identity consciousness of Changzhou scholars as “literati-jingsheng” transitioned into the study of Ci, establishing the identity pattern and concept of “Ci Writers-scholars”. This allowed them to express their academic thoughts through Ci. The identity of Ci Writers, as an extension of their academic identity, became mutually supportive, facilitating the complete elimination of identity anxiety imposed by Confucianism.The formation of the identity concept led scholars, who were most deeply influenced by Confucianism, to participate in the creation of Ci, thereby causing the academic transformation of Ci and contributing to the maturation of Ci as a discipline of study in the Qing Dynasty. For these scholars, the study of Ci encompassed both self (viewing themselves as authors) and others (considering Ci as the object of study). This identity concept has also endured in modern Ci studies due to its closed and inherited nature, evolving into a collective unconsciousness that significantly influences the development of Ci studies.
刘泽华, 彭国忠. 对抗焦虑：词人身份观念的自觉与演进[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2024, 54(4): 119-131.
Liu Zehua, Peng Guozhong. Confronting Anxiety: Consciousness and Evolution of the Identity Concept of Ci Writers. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2024, 54(4): 119-131.
2024, Vol. 54 
