Jian'an Literature Revisited: Poetic Dialogues in the Last Three
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Jian’an Literature Revisited: Poetic Dialogues in the Last Three Decades of the Han Dynasty Hsiang-Lin Shih A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2013 Reading Committee: David R. Knechtges, Chair Ching-Hsien Wang Zev Handel Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Asian Languages and Literature ©Copyright 2013 Hsiang-Lin Shih University of Washington Abstract Jian’an Literature Revisited: Poetic Dialogues in the Last Three Decades of the Han Dynasty Hsiang-Lin Shih Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor David R. Knechtges Department of Asian Languages and Literature The Jian’an period (196-220), which is best known through the fictionalized account in the Romance of the Three States, is also an important literary period. It is celebrated for its major writers such as Cao Cao, Cao Pi, Cao Zhi and Wang Can. Previous scholars have mainly been concerned with the life and poetry of an individual writer. In this dissertation, I attempt to take an approach that crosses the boundary between individual writers. I read Jian’an poems— including shi, fu, and yuefu—as the authors’ poetic dialogues with their contemporaries. This approach is based on the fact that the writers gathered at the court of Cao Cao and shared the language of poetry. Whether drinking together or living apart, they often engaged in a dialogue on a common topic through the medium of writing. Their topics range from travel, careers, expeditions, to merriment. Like the Athenian speechmakers in Plato’s “Symposium,” Jian’an writers also tried to impress, persuade, entertain and challenge one another in their poems. Having this context in mind and drawing inspiration from Western literature, I explore how Jian’an poems can be better understood and how the individual writers together established a literary tradition of their own. CONTENTS Acknowledgements iv Introduction 1 Individual Writers—Group Composition—Symposia—Poetic Dialogues 2 Chapters—Comparisons—Rhymes—Sources 11 Part I Warlords and Travelers 18 Chapter 1. Going Through the Rise and Fall 18 From Inspectors to Governors (106 B.C.-A.D. 220): Emergence of Provincial Powers 18 Yizhou (188-214), Jingzhou (190-208) and Jiangdong (194-280): Northerners’ Shelters 23 Luoyang and Chang’an (189-192): Fallen Capitals 32 Beihai (190-196): Regional and Private Academies 36 Xu vs. Ye (196-204): Cao Cao and Yuan Shao’s Competition 40 Chapter 2. Poetic Dialogues on Incessant Travel 50 Mini-Drama: Ying Yang, “Shi on Attending the Gathering on the Jianzhang Terrace” 50 Interruption: Chen Lin, “Shi on Excursions” (I of two) 55 Newcomer: Wang Can, “Shi of Seven Laments” (I-II of three), “Fu on Climbing the Tower,” “Fu on the First Expedition” 58 Solutions: Cao Pi, “Xing of ‘Excellent!’” (I of two); Liu Zhen, “Fu on Realizing My True Aim” 69 Sympathy: Cao Zhi, “Fu on the Orange,” “At the Gate There Is a Myriad-Li Traveler,” “Shi on Feelings” 76 i Part II Lords and Retainers 85 Chapter 3. Taking a Position at Thriving Courts 85 Three Stages of Development: The Cao Family’s New Courts 85 Setting Up a Military Headquarters: At Cao Cao’s Ministerial Court 88 “Restoring” Old Systems: At Cao Cao’s Chancellor Court and Wei Court 92 Establishing Extra-Bureaucratic Courts: At Cao Pi’s and Cao Zhi’s Courts 106 Chapter 4. Poetic Dialogues on Official Careers 114 Individual Aspirations: Cao Zhi, Wang Can, Penultimate Enticements 114 Four Stimuli: Cao Cao, “Xing of ‘Singing a Short Song’” (II of two) 125 Fine Courtiers: Group Composition on Beautiful Plants and Stones 133 Failed Suasion: Cao Zhi, “Presented to Xu Gan” 145 Part III Commanders and Aides 154 Chapter 5. Carrying Writing Brushes to Accompany the Army 154 Cao Cao: A Commander, Husband, Father, and State Founder 154 Cao Pi and Cao Zhi: Guarding the City vs. Accompanying the Army 164 Literary Men in the Army: Aides, Portraitists, and Beyond 172 Chapter 6. Poetic Dialogues on Military Expeditions 185 Inheriting a Heroic Tradition: Cao Cao, “Xing of ‘Suffering in the Cold’” 185 Serving the Divine Militant: Wang Can, “Shi on Accompanying the Army” (five poems) 192 Surviving the War: Cao Pi, Wang Can, “Fu on the Willow” 203 Writing to the Front: Liu Zhen, “Shi Presented to the Leader of Court Gentlemen” (four poems) 209 ii Part IV Hosts and Guests 215 Chapter 7. Writing about Symposia in Letters 215 Letters as Historical Sources 215 The Joy of Great Men: Letters Between Cao Zhi and Wu Zhi 217 The Joy and Sorrow of Young Men: Letters Between Cao Pi and Wu Zhi 227 Chapter 8. Poetic Dialogues on Lighthearted Merriment 241 Sartorial Splendor: Cao Zhi, Second Enticement; Cao Pi, “Extended Xing of ‘Mugwort on the Wall’” 241 The Wind and the Moon: Cao Pi, “Shi Written at the Lotus Pond;” Cao Zhi, “Lord’s Feast;” Liu Zhen, “Shi on the Lord’s Feast” 250 A Summer Dream: Group Composition on the Great Summer Heat 255 The Immortals in the Mortal World: Cao Cao, “Xing of Qiu Hu” (I of two), “Xing of ‘Walking Out the Xia Gate’” 263 Conclusion: Ruan Yu, “Shi of Seven Laments” (I of two) 275 Bibliography 279 iii Acknowledgements “Next we come to the Lesser City, Which adjoins it on the west. The hub of markets and shops, The pool of a myriad merchants.” These lines are cited from Professor David R. Knechtges’ translation of Zuo Si’s “Shu Capital Rhapsody.” Whenever I read his translation of these lines, I seem to see an old commercial city standing in front of me, dazzling yet clear. During these six years, Professor Knechtges has given me guidance on classical Chinese that has allowed me to grasp the language and explore the world described in its words. He has also introduced me to numerous scholarly works and supported me with his immediate and generous comments. Because of him, I continue my study with courage and confidence. I would also like to express my deep gratitude to Professor C. H. Wang and his wife Ms. Hsia Ying-Ying. They have extended warm hospitality to me whether in Seattle or Taipei. Every visit to them was a convivial symposium. It was in one of those conversations with Professor Wang that I was inspired to reformulate my approach to Jian’an poetry. To Professors Zev Handel, Robert Joe Cutter, and Hsu Yu-Fong I owe great thanks for their valuable advice on the phonological, cultural and literary aspects of early Medieval Chinese compositions. I am also deeply indebted to my classmates Sun Yingying and Y. Edmund Lien, whose suggestions have been important to me. In presenting part of my research, I greatly benefited from many friends and teachers’ repsonses. I would like to thank in particular Kevin W. Tahmoresi, Nicholas Morrow Williams, Timothy Wai Keung Chan, and Luo Yiyi. For financial assistance, I acknowledge with gratitude the Graduate School, which honored me with 2012-13 Presidential Dissertation Fellowship, as well as the Dr. K. C. Hsiao Endowment and the China iv Studies Program of the Henry M. Jackson School, which honored me with 2012-13 Dr. Hsiao Dissertation Fellowship. My final thanks belong to my parents, my teacher Ms. Ting Mei-Fen, and my husband Yang Tung-Yi. My mother first showed me the world of Chinese literature and the world of Plato. My father is always there giving me firm support. Ms. Ting spent countless afterschool evenings teaching me the art of recitation. It is because of these evenings together that I more fully enjoy imagining oral performances in the Jian’an period. My husband and I have engaged in dialogues about literature and music since we were classmates at the National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan. Having his company, I have learned much more than I would have alone. v Introduction In the last three decades of the Han dynasty (A.D. 190-220), the imperial court collapsed and a succession of regional powers arose. Cao Cao 曹操 (155-220), one of the most powerful warlords, established a court that attracted both military and literary men. He said:1 Had the state been without me, I do not know how many men would have claimed themselves emperors, and how many would have claimed themselves kings! 設使國家無有孤，不知當幾人稱帝，幾人稱王！ As a student of Chinese literature, one would like to add, “Had the state been without Cao Cao, I do not know how Jian’an writers would have met each other, and how they could have established a literary tradition of their own.” This literary tradition is known as Jian’an literature, named after the reign era Jian’an 建安 (196-220) of Emperor Xian of Han 漢獻帝 (r. 189-220). In the Tang dynasty, Li Bo 李白 (701-762) characterized Jian’an literature by two seemingly contradictory qualities: gu 骨 (bone, which designates a solid, forceful quality) and qili 綺麗 (exquisite beauty).2 Lin Wen-yüeh recognizes and discusses the former quality in “The Decline and Revival of Feng-ku (Wind and Bone): On the Changing Poetic Styles from the Chien-an Era through the High T’ang Period.”3 However, she believes that Li Bo did not include Jian’an literature when he criticized the works with the latter quality:4 1 Chen Shou 陳壽, comp.; Pei Songzhi 裴松之, comm., Sanguo zhi 三國志 (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1959; rpt. 1982), 1.33 note 1. Also see Chen Shou 陳壽, comp.; Pei Songzhi 裴松之, comm.; Lu Bi 盧弼, ed. and comm., Sanguo zhi jijie 三國志集解 (1957; rpt. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 2009), 1.133. The translation is based on Paul W.