Welcome to Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art,

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2018, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (1): 99-107.

• Classical Literary Theory and Criticism • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A Fusion of Yangmingism, Politics and Literature: the Constructional Dimensions of Li Fu's Literary Ideas

Chang Wei   

  1. the School of Liberal Arts, Nanjing University
  • Online:2018-01-25 Published:2018-10-19
  • About author:Chang Wei is a Ph.D. student at the School of Liberal Arts, Nanjing University. His research interests are Yangmingism and the article studies in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Abstract: Li Fu's ( 1675-1750) literary ideas are a fusion of Yangmingism, politics and literature, due to his profound research on Yangmingism, his political expectation for being a man like Yi Yin, his appreciation for Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gong, Wang Anshi, a group of people born in Jiangxi who put great importance on literature, his rich literary experience and profound insights in his articles. Based on Yangmingism, he cleared the barriers to be a saint and got the ideas which could turn thoughts into action. He then bridged the traditional gap between "Confucian orthodoxy" and "dominion", constructed the discourse system about "literature-Confucian orthodoxy-state governance", and integrated all of them. The idea that "theoretical contributions must be accompanied by noble virtues and practical achievements" reflected his political endeavor. The theory that "poetry and articles come from the mind" was characterized by Yangmingism. Because of the influence of the traditional textology from Yangmingism and the revival of textology in the early Qing dynasty, he put textology into articles. As a Noe-Confucian, Li Fu broke through the limitation of Cheng-Zhu Confucian School and Yangmingism, and considered content, style, writing techniques of articles from a literary perspective.

Key words: Li Fu, literary ideas, Yangmingism, politics, literature, dimensions