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| The Article Theory of Xu Jinzong and the Codification of Wenguan Cilin |
| Lin Jiali, Wang Yanqing |
| School the Humanities and Foreign Languages, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, China |
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Abstract From the middle to the late period of Emperor Taizong through the early and middle periods of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the literary field of the early Tang Dynasty transformed from focusing on Confucian classics and meanings to emphasizing rhetoric. In the talent selection system, rhetoric was gradually incorporated into the official selection process. Especially after Wu Zetian took control of the government, she officially included literary talents in the imperial examination system. In terms of book compilation, the focus shifted from historical facts and meanings to rhetoric and beautiful sentences. With Xu Jingzong as the representative, the production of eulogies, as a supplement to political changes, gained the recognition of the ruling power in the power struggle and gradually became mainstream in the literary field. There were mainly two types of themes in the production of eulogies. One was based on auspicious signs and rituals, distinguishing between the ruler and ministers, discussing destiny, and establishing the theoretical basis for re-establishing the authority of the monarch. The other focused on court-related memorials and regulated banquets, praising the achievements of the emperor and celebrating the peaceful and prosperous era, promoting the transformation of the early Tang literary field.The article theory, which was born with the production of eulogies, advocated promoting the Way through literature in terms of literary concept, intending to incorporate the production of eulogies into the “unity of heaven and man” system, and deliberately guiding such rhetoric to become the orthodox writing in the literary field. In terms of aesthetic appreciation of rhetoric, the core was “elegance”, which governed the style and temperament of writing, arranged the subjects of writing, and standardized the management of writing. The theory also promoted the concept of “beautiful rules”, affirming the importance of “beauty” as the foundation of literary creation while restraining the excessive use of “beauty”. At the same time, it advocated a grand and profound literary style. In terms of phonetic concepts, it integrated rhyme categories, perfected prosody, and emphasized phonetic harmony. Objectively, this theory endowed the regulated rhetoric with positive significance in the development of the Tang Dynasty literature.The compilation of Wenguan Cilin was consistent with the cultural construction, political transformation, and Xu Jingzong’s article theory of this period. From the perspective of compilation purposes, it served as a cultural project, contributing to the restoration of the early Tang literary context and cultural reconstruction on the one hand, and, on the other hand, it took the opportunity of compiling books to cultivate talents, nurture power, and accumulate strength for the court’s transformation. In terms of compilation style, it drew on the anthology compilation style represented by Xiao Tong’s Wenxuan and incorporated the early Tang genre book compilation method. In terms of selection criteria, it continued the Confucian tradition since the Zhenguan era while adhering to the literary concept since Emperor Gaozong. The two were reconciled and balanced through the emphasis on rituals. The content focused on practicality and relevance to historical events and political decisions in the early Tang Dynasty. The style was consistent with the aesthetic preference for grandiosity under the influence of eulogy production in this period and Xu Jingzong’s article theory. It can be said that the compilation path of Wenguan Cilin and the value orientation of that time jointly participated in the construction and manufacturing of the classicization of the early Tang texts.
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Received: 28 February 2023
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2023, Vol. 53 
