The Su Shi’s Writing Feelings Study
Student: Lin Chien- Chian Advisor: Prof. Dr.Ke Jin-Hu
Ph. D. Program at Graduate Institute of Chinese Language and Literatur,
Hsuan Chuang University
Abstract
This thesis reviews the works of Su Shishi in the period of his
officialdom by a comprehensive exploration in his poems, Ci poems,
essays, calligraphy, and Tao’s poems, supplemented by ancient
documents, modern monographs and contemporary journals and
dissertations, to analyze, from his mind behind his works, the values of
Su’s literature and his noble personality.
First, the Introduction relates to the motivation of writing and the
review of literature and notes in this thesis. Discussed next are Su Shi's
character and literary style, and their influence. That is followed by a
discussion of Su Shi’s thoughts that combine Confucianism, Taoism and
Buddhism. His mind can be sensed from the poems and words in his very
early officialdom in Fongxiang. During his stay in Hangzhou where he
was transferred to, his poems and words were innovative, with profound
unspoken meaning. That style and sentiments remain in Su’s works
during his tenure in Mizhou; also, the contents and sentiments of his
poems and words in Xuzhou. That is followed immediately by a relation
to Su’s works and the occurrence of literary imprisonment when he
served in Huzhoud, as well as his style being gradually maturing toward
a display of deep understanding with breadth of mind after the incident of
poetry. Further discussed is the diverse thoughts in Su’s poems and
words in Huangzhou, which are both people concerning and unearthly
broad-minded. A chapter follows dedicated to Su’s writing style that
changed toward sophisticated, artistic display when he returned to the
court in Yuan Yu Period. The thoughts and mind of Su in his works
during his faraway officialdom in Yuan Yu Period. Last, a relation to
Su’s literature of the Linghai period, which marks the end of his creation.
Our conclusions are reflections on Su Shi’s works: 1. Unique style: Su
mastered in an extremely wide range from poetry, Ci, songs, calligraphy
and painting that was second to none before or after him. 2. Being very
romantic: Su’s wide range of works represented a cultural art that was
unique to Song Dynasty. 3. Broad and bright mind: Su explored
Confucianism, blended Buddhism and was attentive to politics and
people’s life, as well as was self-adaptive with broad sense. 4. Highly
literary: Su created unstrainedly and eloquently, with his literature being
socially educative. All the above are the findings hereof.
Keywords: Su Shi, officialdom, thoughts and mind of work