THE POETRY OF YANG WAN-LI by JERRY D. SCHMIDT B.A., U n i v e r s i t y M.A., of C a l i f o r n i a , University Berkeley, 1968 1970 of B r i t i s h Columbia, A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in t h e Department of Asian We a c c e p t required THE this Studies t h e s i s as conforming to the standard UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH August, 1975 COLUMBIA In p r e s e n t i n g this thesis an advanced degree at the L i b r a r y shall I f u r t h e r agree for fulfilment the U n i v e r s i t y of make i t freely that permission British available for of the requirements Columbia, reference for e x t e n s i v e copying o f I agree for that and study. this thesis s c h o l a r l y purposes may be granted by the Head o f my Department or by h i s of in p a r t i a l this representatives. It thesis for financial is understood gain s h a l l w r i t ten pe rm i ss i on . Department o f The University Asian Studies of British 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 Date September 9, 1975 Columbia that not copying o r p u b l i c a t i o n be allowed without my Abstract (1127-1206) Yang W a n - l i historians and shlh of the to poets as largely erary by done by the b e g i n w i t h an contribution particular attention emphasizing to the not limited merely to a study personal nature played life and The poetry by European litera- Chinese lit- methodology literature Ch'an (Zen) as an enlightenment. of e a r l i e r unadorned verse. of is his "live poetry poets The caused and 11 the important his on Yang's t h e o r y l e d him outlook him of to view the which r e s u l t s to r e j e c t to advance the most c o n c r e t e method" f o r the to explore the is literature. process Such a theory imitation us i n particular, h i s Ch'an b a c k g r o u n d intuitional political life, Buddhism i n d e t e r m i n i n g toward life, However, t h e b i o g r a p h y o f Yang's o f f i c i a l major s e c t i o n f o c u s e s how o f Yang W a n - l i ' s of h i s poetry allows his attitudes next e r a t u r e and of attempts to Chinese influence that his works. i n n e r w o r k i n g s o f h i s mind, and, on study of t r a d i t i o n a l extensive account upon h i s l i t e r a r y role present literary outstanding c a s e w i t h most s t u d i e s on n o n - E u r o p e a n c a r e e r had very Chinese t h r e e most The tools r a t h e r than by Westerners. I paying of the unique utilizing criticism, i s the one twelfth century. e x p l o r e Yang W a n - l i ' s ture as critics i s regarded from litwriting sudden thoughtless idea of natural, e x p r e s s i o n o f Yang's ( h u o - f a ) . a p o e t i c method theory which includes doxical and such language, poetry was with the Buddhist utmost importance d e s c r i b e s h i s f a m i l y and He and is particularly the l i f e humor, theme o f illusion and Confucian bureaucrat f o r h i s p o e t r y , and lower i n h i s verse also he f r e q u e n t l y of s o c i a l society. criticism classes. However, t h e most common s u b j e c t o f Yang's l i t e r a r y tions tic i s nature, interests nature p o e t r y has contemporaries', poetry are painting. be is connected like scientific, changes In p a r t i c u l a r , Ch'an B u d d h i s t animals, the to the v i s u a l estheYang's in nature Chinese i s found mysticism. the p a i n t i n g analytical crea- a r t of h i s i n n o v a t i o n s i n Yang's poetry, with the of h i s p e r i o d . to contemporary Yang's l a n d s c a p e c u l t u r e as a to His of the p e r i o d , tendencies of the whole. I conclude w i t h a study literature. verse are analyzed evolution striking compared on p l a n t s and poets similarities the i n harmony w i t h Chinese which i s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h p a i n t e r s and great and easily intimately poetry a tendency of both of of h i s his general relationship with original of the theory m a j o r themes t h a t a c o n s i d e r a b l e body However, Y a n g ' s c a r e e r a s a of the para- language. t o e x p l o r e some o f t h e poetry, f i n d i n g i s concerned reality. and g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n o f Yang's l i t e r a r y I proceed Yang W a n - l i ' s illuslonistic sudden e n l i g h t e n m e n t , of c o l l o q u i a l this practice, iconoclasm, s u r p r i s e and e x t e n s i v e use After and elements as The and o f Yang W a n - l i ' s i n f l u e n c e s of e a r l i e r the traditional of h i s s t y l e are found Iii t o be position poets in on h i s opinions concerning erroneous. Yang's the poetry is compared and prominent contrasted shih poets Finally, I give on l a t e r p o e t s and w i t h t h e work o f t h e two of h i s period, a brief account critics. iv most P a n C h ' e n g - t a and L u o f Yang W a n - l i ' s Yu. influence Table of Contents Introduction 1 Biography 5 Yang Wan-li's Theory of Poetry 134 The L i v e Method 1. Background 172 2. Unconventionality 3. I l l u s i o n i s t i c and P a r a d o x i c a l Language 186 4. S u r p r i s e and Sudden Enlightenment 196 5. Humor 205 6. C o l l o q u i a l Language 212 . 178 Major Themes 1. I l l u s i o n and R e a l i t y 2. The World of 3. 217 . Man a. Family and C h i l d r e n b. The S c h o l a r Poet's P l a c e i n S o c i e t y c. S o c i a l C r i t i c i s m and Peasant L i f e 229 . . 243 . . . 263 The World of Nature a. Nature i n General 282 b. Landscape 294 c. Animals 330 349 d. P l a n t s v 4. The Transcendance of Sorrow 360 Influence 1. Yang's Masters 382 2. Yang and H i s Contemporaries 407 3. Posterity 429 Bibliography 434 Abbreviations 453 vi Introduction The p o e t r y o f Yang W a n - l i been almost literature. published tury, a n e g l e c t e d by W e s t e r n h i s t o r i a n s concerning Chinese blank. literature literature most The t r e m e n d o u s body o f many s c h o l a r s important f a c t o r . and f i l l medieval of material of c l a s s i c a l i s almost i s no d o u b t Chinese times. likely history one antiquarian i s probably the However, a s r e s e a r c h on l a t e r of Chinese l i t e r a r y early language but the generally p r o g r e s s e s , Western s c h o l a r s w i l l periods of Chinese b e f o r e the t e n t h cen- i n the c l a s s i c a l the reasons f o r t h i s n e g l e c t , interests t o a n age w h i c h h a s A l t h o u g h a r e a s o n a b l e amount o f m a t e r i a l h a s been post-T'ang total of totally belongs discover literature that the l a t e r a r e just as r i c h as a n c i e n t This d i s s e r t a t i o n i s an attempt t o i n one o f t h e many gaps i n o u r knowledge o f t h e h i s t o r y o f C h i n e s e p o e t r y , t h e s o u t h e r n Sung d y n a s t y d u r i n g the t w e l f t h century. The of twelfth century, i n which Yang W a n - l i t h e most p r o d u c t i v e p e r i o d s i n C h i n e s e ophy Chu H s i was c o m p l e t i n g h i s s y n t h e s i s which into would exert a strong influence modern t i m e s . graphy The a r t s culture. of neo-Confucianism, on C h i n e s e thought had e n t e r e d one o f t h e i r most g l o r i o u s a g e s , witnessed the p e r f e c t i o n 1 was one In p h i l o s - o f C h i n e s e p a i n t i n g and c e r a m i c s o f t h e C h i n e s e were p r i z e d Poetry lived, and i m i t a t e d o f a new f o r m , down calli- and t h e a l l over Asia. t h e t z ' u , and 2 c o l l o q u i a l drama and All s h o r t s t o r i e s were g r a d u a l l y of these i n n o v a t i o n s i n the c u l t u r a l f i e l d by an unprecedented science and e c o n o m i c g r o w t h and new tempted culture, spirit and throughout o f t h e age many modern c r i t i c s stood by tend have f e l t original to minimize the creation original To study the poetry of Chinese Not culture o n l y have we lationship to other c u l t u r a l approach little literary by Chinese because we haps, not as h e l p f u l f o r the m e t h o d o l o g y and terminology felt been d e e p l y that study background and, poet, active and i n some medicine. other areas poetry tools in i t s rebut The gen- by reader the will of the Western these t o o l s are, by our influenced critics. of Chinese employed to extreme. use made o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l critic, an under- just a sciences or phenomena o f h i s age, literary approach of r e l i g i o n Yang W a n - l i ' s t o Y a n g ' s works h a s methods u t i l i z e d find treated i n the of p u r s u i t s w i t h an i n i s o l a t i o n from seems a b s u r d milieu not o f works i n t h e v i s u a l a r t s , o f s u c h men Although artistic i n the realms r e s e a r c h i n the n a t u r a l have a t - works a r e b e s t age was his literary career, speculation philosophy, eral combined living. cultural and of Yang W a n - l i ' s from to the i n - analytical t h a t Yang W a n - l i ' s poet frequently political cases, The in isolation poetry i n w h i c h he was r e f e r e n c e to the i n t e l l e c t u a l o f h i s age. f o r he advance i n t h e d i s s e r t a t i o n we a u t h o r i n f a v o r o f a more f o r m a l l s t i c , p o e t r y , we supported a startling poetry d i d not develop t o r e l a t e Yang's h i g h l y novative were technology. Yang W a n - l i ' s this evolving. per- literature critics o f Yang as the Wan-li's 3 own literary we tradition. continually employ the l y z e Tang's works, not by that philosophy age utilized found an terminology but a l s o in their o f Yang's " l i v e out t h a t the n a t i v e Chinese and, of Western l i t e r a t u r e proved We writings. do We but have to only say, negate to p o i n t i s of great u t i l i t y indeed, might h e l p j u s t as of h i s than, not wish criticism tradition literature, critics method" more f r u i t f u l u s e f u l n e s s of Western l i t e r a r y study own of h i s p o e t i c "imagery." Chinese deeply i n f l u e n c e d b e c a u s e most o f t h e the studying discover that o f Ch'an B u d d h i s m t o a n a - o n l y b e c a u s e Yang was Ch'an l a n g u a g e a study analysis Thus, t h e r e a d e r w i l l i n the Western methodology so v a l u a b l e t o r e s e a r c h i n c e r t a i n a r e a s of in has Chinese literature. Anyone w i s h i n g g r e a t debt Although only to the to understand r e s e a r c h done by h i s book Yang W a n - l i meant a s a s e l e c t i o n ginning the study Yang W a n - l i ' s poetry Chou J u - c h ' a n g I n t h i s Hsftan C h i ^ ^ Chinese field. ^ is o f h i s works f o r r e a d e r s who of c l a s s i c a l owes a poetry, are be- i t contains a huge amount o f v a l u a b l e m a t e r i a l f o r t h e s e r i o u s s c h o l a r . Chou's i n t r o d u c t o r y c h a p t e r due to the ideological cussion of the " l i v e of problem. this t o Yang's p o e t r y p r o b l e m s o f modern C h i n a , method" was an inspiration lowed h i s e l u c i d a t i o n mentary allusions on or unusual individual but h i s standards of d i f f i c u l t we limited but h i s dis- to f u r t h e r H i s f o o t n o t e s t o t h e poems s e l e c t e d m o d e l f o r o t h e r s c h o l a r s t o i m i t a t e , and literary i s somewhat are have u s u a l l y study a fol- p o i n t s i n t h e poems s u c h language. Not only i s h i s com- poems o f t h e g r e a t e s t a i d t o t h e of s e l e c t i o n are very high. as Although reader we 4 have translated many poems by Yang W a n - l i n o t c o n t a i n e d i n Chou's selection, poetry i n each major c a t e g o r y , poems t r a n s l a t e d h i s book c o n t a i n s most o f Y a n g W a n - l i ' s here best and, hence, the m a j o r i t y of a l s o a p p e a r i n Chou's work. The m a j o r d e f e c t o f Chou J u - c h ' a n g ' s book i s t h a t t h e "Marxist" fluence ever, in a p p r o a c h he f r e q u e n t l y u s e s o b s c u r e s t h a t Ch'an B u d d h i s m had on Yang W a n - l i ' s i t i s most l i k e l y Ch'an was all a result intellectuals research t h a t Chou's s i l e n c e of the p o l i t i c a l i n modern on C h i n e s e individual to the strong i n - China. Buddhist poems a t t e s t , on Yang's pressures Chou had done philosophy poetry. anti-Buddhist dently of the present h i s e f f o r t s were n o t c o m p l e t e l y most r e c e n t reprint on Yang W a n - l i ' s o f h i s work o m i t s poetry entirely. on extensive as h i s f o o t n o t e s to b u t , p e r h a p s , he f e l t sentiments interest that bear i t more g l o s s o v e r Yang's B u d d h i s m i n o r d e r n o t t o o f f e n d ally How- prudent the gener- government. Evi- s u c c e s s f u l , f o r the h i s introductory essay Biography Yang W a n - l i ^ ^ ^ , whose s t y l e ^ ., was born i n C h i - s h u i ^ ^ in t h e y e a r 1127, t h e f i r s t was o f modern poets time. y e a r of the r e i g n ; one y e a r family Many two y e a r s j u n i o r to Lu j u n i o r t o Pan C h * e n g - t a r ^ was n o t of p e a s a n t A ^ lowest l o c a l immediately ginning under the emperors T ' a i T s u A M (976-998), shocks f r o m throne, Hui The l a s t Isung.f|^ totally structing was Yang's quite s t r o n g be- (960-976) and T ' a i had w e a t h e r e d a series b e t w e e n r e f o r m e r s and emperor on t h e n o r t h e r n Sung (1101-1126), was a fine painter but i n the p o l i t i c a l K u i Tsung s p e n t huge around two o f t h e K h i t a n T a r t a r s and a effective of the a r t s , inept. gardens ^ seen on t h e n e x t From a r e l a t i v e l y t h e Sung d y n a s t y the L i a o dynasty h i s patronage he was history. out c o n t e s t of p a r t y s t r i f e conservatives. for of C h i n e s e effects years l o n g drawn Although p r e c e d i n g Y a n g ' s b i r t h had hundred of Yu^^^and o c c u p i e d more t h a n t h e e v e n t s w h i c h had d i s a s t r o u s ^ t h e same positions. The y e a r s political * first of the g r e a t - s t o c k , h i s background humble, f o r none o f h i s a n c e s t o r s had TsungA of the o f t h e s o u t h e r n Sung were b o r n a t a b o u t T h u s , Yang was ^ Klangsl province s o u t h e r n Sung emperor Kao T s u n g , ^ % est T'ing-hsiu the c a p i t a l city sphere sums o f money located in noted con- i^] modern K ' a i - f e n g 5^ • l u x u r y n e c e s s i t a t e d was popular The h i g h t a x a t i o n which the partially r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a s e r i e s of u p r i s i n g s , the most s e r i o u s of which was Pang La ^ , a Manlchaean who court the r e v o l t of vowed to k i l l the corrupt o f f i c i a l i n charge of Hui Tsung's gardening p r o j e c t s . 2 L u c k i l y f o r the Sung empire, the L i a o r u l i n g house a l s o reached i t s n a d i r a t t h i s time. house, T'ien Tso Ti ^ ^ f a l c o n r y as Hui Tsung was to gardening and as a d d i c t e d l o n g ago prized falcons.^ r a c e , the Ju-chen-^a r t s of c i v i l i z a t i o n . p i r e , and badly , who impunity i n e a r l i e r vj| ^ have g i v e n him the t i t l e dynasty, and T'ai T s u ^ proved h i s c l a i m to i m p e r i a l t i t l e Tsung was to r e c a p t u r e by the the L i a o Wanem- they were himself Chinese h i s t o r i a n s . In 1120 T'ai Tsu by d e f e a t i n g the L i a o occupying t h e i r northernmost c a p i t a l c i t y Upon h e a r i n g Hui , attacked The f o l l o w i n g year A-ku-ta d e c l a r e d Chin ^ years. the l e a d e r of the when the L i a o attempted to punish him, beaten.^ en- Tartar were not yet corrupted In the year 1114 c l a n , A-ku-ta jp*j emperor of the new and Although l o s t the m a r t i a l v i g o u r which had them to a t t a c k the Sung w i t h ^ to sent embassies to Into the power vacuum which r e s u l t e d , stepped a new yen the p o s s i b l y a more masculine sport than gardening, the K h i t a n had abled l a s t emperor of ( 1 1 0 1 - 1 1 2 5 ) , was ^ f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s each year to buy f a l c o n r y was The had again Shang-ching of the Chin v i c t o r i e s over the L i a o dynasty, overjoyed. Numerous attempts by t e r r i t o r y l o s t to the L i a o had the Sung army f a i l e d , but now 7 the Sung government had a new little in expense and effort. means of i n c r e a s i n g i t s land w i t h The two most powerful individuals the Sung government a t the time were the eunuch T'ung Kuan and the man he had recommended to the emperor, the prime m i n i s t e r T s ' a i Ching ^ vj Both of these men urged the em- p e r o r to form an a l l i a n c e w i t h the Chin a g a i n s t the L i a o , and so a l r e a d y i n 1118 ambassadors had been d i s p a t c h e d by the sea In 1120 r o u t e to the north.°" they succeeded ing more ambassadors were sent, and i n c o n c l u d i n g a t r e a t y w i t h the Chin. Accord- to the terms of the t r e a t y , the Chin were supposed to a t t a c k the L i a o middle c a p i t a l of Chung-chlng the Sung would a s s a u l t Yen-ching ceeded jji*. "J^ . , while I f the armies i n overthrowing the L i a o , the Sung government would be s a t i s f i e d w i t h the r e t u r n of c e r t a i n Chinese t e r r i t o r i e s to suc- the K h i t a n d u r i n g the F i v e D y n a s t i e s and would pay lost the y e a r l y t r i b u t e , which they had g i v e n the L i a o , to the Chin.7 The Chin T a r t a r s were i n t e l l i g e n t enough to scent a good d e a l , and Liao. i n the f o l l o w i n g year they began t h e i r a t t a c k on the In 1122 they were a b l e to take the middle c a p i t a l Chung- c h i n g , f o r c i n g the emperor T ' l e n Tso T i to take f l i g h t . ^ w h i l e , Hui Tsung had sent the eunuch T'ung Kuan to a t t a c k Yen- c h i n g , but the Sung army was ended i n t o t a l f a i l u r e , 9 was Mean- so f e e b l y l e d that the campaign and a second campaign l a t e r t h a t y e a r even more d i s a s t r o u s , r e s u l t i n g i n thousands of c a s u a l t i e s and a d i s o r d e r l y r e t r e a t . The Chin armies d i d not g i v e the 1 0 Chinese another chance to blunder, f o r they soon occupied ching with l i t t l e trouble. 1 1 Yen- 8 By t h i s time the Chin T a r t a r s were f u l l y aware of the comp l e t e impotence of the Sung m i l i t a r y . served ob- the t r e a t y w i t h the Sung government a t l e a s t on the s u r - f a c e and promptly was N e v e r t h e l e s s , they turned over the land promised earlier. Peace maintained f o r a couple of y e a r s , but the Chin found a casus b e l l i when a former L i a o g e n e r a l surrendered to the Sung and used h i s border post as a base f o r a t t a c k s a g a i n s t the Chin. Although the Sung government executed him when the , c Chin complained, found many Chinese m i l i t a r y men and their attack i n 1125. the Chin launched w i l l i n g to cooperate w i t h them, as t h e i r armies neared K ' a i - f e n g , Hui Tsung a b d i c a t e d the throne to h i s crown p r i n c e , who Tsung $X ^ , In 1126 was g i v e n the t i t l e the Chin armies surrounded the c a p i t a l K ' a i - f e n g , that no a s s i s t a n c e was o t h e r Sung armies, the Sung government was a very shameful peace w i t h the Chin. Chin army, the Sung had hundred thousand silver. ^ 1 Ch'ln 1 3 and when i t became apparent forced coming from to conclude In o r d e r to buy o f f the to make an immediate present of two t a e l s of gold and f o u r m i l l i o n t a e l s of N e v e r t h e l e s s , once the Chin army had l i f t e d i t s s i e g e , another Chin army appeared The They Chinese government was treaty i n e f f e c t i v e . and demanded more ransom. f u r i o u s and d e c l a r e d the peace In the e i g h t h month of 1126, sent one more army, and tured K ' a i - f e n g c i t y . 5 1 the Chin i n the e l e v e n t h month, the army The cap- emperor Ch'ln Tsung p e r s o n a l l y went to the Chin camp to beg f o r mercy, but the Chin kept p r i s o n e r , and i n the second month of 1127 him the people of K ' a i - 9 feng of paid gold an a d d i t i o n a l and a m i l l i o n were s t i l l ransom o f o v e r s e v e n t y taels dissatisfied, of s i l v e r . ^ thousand taels However, t h e C h i n 1 and i n t h e f o u r t h month t h e y forced t h e r e t u r n e d emperor H u i T s u n g , C h ' i n T s u n g , t h e empress, and about t h r e e thousand cials t o r e t u r n w i t h t h e i r army b a c k n o r t h . empire had c e a s e d The Chinese the n i n t h that emperor. troubled However, i n t h e same y e a r the i m p e r i a l the family about Yang's y o u t h , was l i t t l e except disorder. K i a n g s i l a y f a r from indirectly troubled village suffer the l i f e ^ thousand though of e x i l e from h i s did, o f a r e f u g e e a s Lu Yu d i d . times, escaping from 1 8 n o r d i d he L u Y u was b o r n on p r o v i n c e , w h i c h was one and he summed p e r i e n c e s y e a r s l a t e r when he w r o t e , the by t h e d i s o r d e r s o f t h e main t h e a t e r o f b a t t l e , as H s i n C h ' i - c h i ^ ^ t h e main b a t t l e f i e l d s , cer- due t o t a x i n c r e a s e s and f i s c a l t h e banks o f t h e H u a i R i v e r i n K i a n g s u of It Although we c a n be q u i t e Yang d i d n o t e x p e r i e n c e t h e b i t t e r n e s s native throne i n y e a r t h a t Yang W a n - l i was b o r n . the period and The n o r t h e r n Sung i n a u g u r a t i n g t h e s o u t h e r n Sung d y n a s t y . we know v e r y l i t t l e tain offi- o v e r r a n n o r t h C h i n a and s e t up a son o f H u i Tsung ascended was i n t h i s and h i g h 1 as puppet thereby relatives to e x i s t . 7 Chin quickly official Nanking, other imperial up h i s c h i l d h o o d ex- "When a c h i l d , I died ten the b a r b a r i a n s o l d i e r s . " 9 1 Al- Y a n g W a n - l i was r e a r e d i n p o v e r t y , he d i d n o t s u f f e r trauma o f w a r f a r e , a f a c t h a p p i e r o u t l o o k on l i f e poraries . which p a r t i a l l y when compared explains h i s t o many o f h i s contem- 10 A l t h o u g h Yang's f a m i l y was t h e r e had fore, in he been o f f i c i a l s pursued the y e a r a 1154 education from his first o b t a i n i n g h i s c h l n - s h i h degree twenty-eight. shih i n the The spend an same y e a r , and extended c l o s e and As was time. Inspector t] / away f r o m hundred claimed early a t the r e l a t i v e l y of time that his family. of the chln- they beto was m i l e s s o u t h o f C h i - s h u i , so he years. in local govern- term as Finance his first E v e n s o , K a n - c h o u was 2 1 life, t o g e t h e r , t h e y were q u i t e h i s three year at Kan-chou^V^j and t h e y were n e v e r a b l e given a position and Thereage, a l a r g e number o f poems i n l a t e r passed, that young age Ch'eng-ta passed Although 2 0 t h e c u s t o m , Yang was ment s o o n a f t e r he an i t i s quite l i k e l y interval exchanged he success i n o f f i c i a l famed p o e t Pan came f r i e n d s a t t h i s poor, i n t h e Yang c l a n p r e v i o u s l y . classical he had fairly lengthy stay n o t more t h a n a c o u l d have f r e q u e n t l y gone home t o see h i s p a r e n t s . After Y a n g was the customary transferred ? 4 ^< Ling-ling^ ->fl-J Yung-chou ^ former now one, but Yang was western . three years o f s e r v i c e a t Kan-chou, to the p o s t of A s s i s t a n t , w h i c h was T h i s was i t was stationed no under the a slightly sudden r i s e Sub-prefect jurisdiction higher post t o fame and of of than the f o r t u n e , and f a r away f r o m h i s f a m i l y , i n s o u t h - Hunan p r o v i n c e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , the three years that Y a n g s p e n t a t L i n g - l i n g were among t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t in his political atten- tion. 1161 and The was literary c a r e e r , so t h e y most i m p o r t a n t h i s meeting with event deserve i n Yang's l i f e our f u l l d u r i n g the year t h e famous Sung g e n e r a l Chang Chun 11 ^-j^ , but before we can f u l l y understand the impact t h i s meeting had on Yang, we must review the e a r l y h i s t o r y of the southern Sung and e x p l a i n how pp mote Hunan by 1161. Chang Chun had ended up i n r e - Although Kao Tsung had come to the throne i n 1127, the Chin T a r t a r s had not l e t him r e s t e a s i l y . While s t i l l a t Nanking, Kao Tsung appointed L i Kangy^ ter, h i s prime m i n i s - and L i soon was making every e f f o r t f o r a recovery w i t h a f a i r degree of success due to the a c t i v i t i e s of the Sung gene r a l Tsung Tse K'ai-feng. of , who was based near the former c a p i t a l U n f o r t u n a t e l y Kao Tsung f e l l a group of o f f i c i a l s who under the i n f l u e n c e c o u n s e l l e d appeasement, and after L i Kang r e s i g n e d , the emperor moved h i s r e s i d e n c e to Yang-chou ^"j T h i s was Chin armies. the s i g n a l f o r renewed a s s a u l t s by the The p a c i f i s t s hampered Tsung Tse's e f f o r t s a t defence, and i n e a r l y 1129, h i s p o s i t i o n became so p r e c a r i o u s t h a t Kao Tsung was f o r c e d to r e t r e a t from Yang-chou a c r o s s the Yangtze R i v e r to Hang-choujj^J-y4j , where he prepared to s e t PA up h i s c a p i t a l . But h i s a c t i o n s were premature, f o r the Chin continued t h e i r a s s a u l t , and i n the t w e l f t h month they took Hang-chou and l a i d chou -Jl-J * n i t waste. 5 2 Kao Tsung escaped to Ming- Ghekiang but was pressed so hard he had to es- cape by sea to Wen-cho u -y§g_ il'J , i n southern Chekiang p r o v i n c e . The Sung dynasty seemed to be drawing to a c l o s e . Kao Tsung was saved w i t h a s e r i e s of b r i l l i a n t maneuvers by a group of new In 1130 Han Shih-chung g e n e r a l s who Jj^ j^, military appeared j u s t i n time. met the Chin army and navy 12 i n a b a t t l e on the Yangtze i n which he attempted to stop the Chin from c r o s s i n g back n o r t h . greatly Although Han was defeated, he i n c r e a s e d Chin f e a r s of being cut o f f from t h e i r supply l i n e s i f they should venture too f a r south of the Y a n g t z e . ? 2 Meanwhile, the renowned Chinese r i s e n to prominence, and 1:133 and 1134, 1135 the now g e n e r a l Ytteh F e l ^ ^ had when the enemy's armies came south i n the Chinese s u c c e s s f u l l y h e l d them back. c o n f i d e n t Chinese g e n e r a l s p e t i t i o n e d Kao to renew the a t t a c k a g a i n s t the n o r t h , but Kao Perhaps, the reason Kao r e c a p t u r i n g n o r t h China was Tsung was In Tsung Tsung hesitated. ® 2 not very i n t e r e s t e d i n that such a success would almost i n e v i t a b l y r e s u l t i n the r e t u r n of h i s f a t h e r Hui Tsung and p r e v i o u s emperor Ch'in Tsung, who were now the c a p t i v e s i n the north. There o b v i o u s l y could not be three emperors of China a t the same time, and so Kao Tsung was w i l l i n g to f o r g e t the Chin's t o h i s f i l i a l p i e t y as l o n g as they kept Hui Tsung and Tsung f a r away from the Chinese may e x p l a i n why Kao capital. Tsung e a s i l y f e l l Ch'in Such c o n s i d e r a t i o n s under the s p e l l of the p a c i f i s t prime m i n i s t e r Ch'in K u e i ^ t r e a t y w i t h the insult , who advised a peace Chin. Nonetheless, Kao Tsung had need of h i s new w h i l e l o n g e r , because widespread b a n d i t r y plagued ment south of the Yangtze. Chttn a l l played an important Ylieh P e l , Han generals a the govern- Shih-chung, and r o l e i n suppressing these Chang bandits i n the hope t h a t peace i n the south would l a y the f o u n d a t i o n f o r the recovery of the n o r t h . ment was But the most s t a r t l i n g develop- Ytteh P e l ' s c o u n t e r - a t t a c k a g a i n s t the Chin which 13 f o l l o w e d upon the a n t i - b a n d i t campaign. In 1140 Ytteh P e l pushed n o r t h d e f e a t i n g enemy army a f t e r army and e v e n t u a l l y camped w i t h i n range of the n o r t h e r n Sung c a p i t a l K ' a i - f e n g . ^ 2 Y e t i n the same year Ch'in Kuei commanded Yffeh to g i v e up the campaign and r e t u r n south.^° In 1141 both Ytteh P e l and Han Shih-chung were ordered to the c a p i t a l , where Ytteh P e l was murdered a t the i n s t i g a t i o n of the prime m i n i s t e r Ch'in K u e i . ^ In one 1 the same year Ch'in Kuei encouraged Kao Tsung to submit t o of the most h u m i l i a t i n g t r e a t i e s i n Chinese h i s t o r y . Be- s i d e s r e q u i r i n g the Sung government to pay a huge indemnity i n s i l k c l o t h to the Chin every year, the t r e a t y recognized the Chin o c c u p a t i o n of n o r t h China and put the Sung i n the p o s i t i o n of a v a s s a l s t a t e w i t h regard to the C h i n . ^ 2 During the f i f t e e n odd years of Ch'in Kuei's c o n t r o l of the Sung government, most of the famous g e n e r a l s were e l i m i n ated one by one, and the war party among the o f f i c i a l s rapidly liquidated. was In f a c t , the only g e n e r a l of prominence who remained a f t e r these purges was Chang Chtin, and he was a l ready an o l d man when Yang met him i n 1161 . Chang had probably been spared because he was not among the most prominent and a g g r e s s i v e of the Sung g e n e r a l s , but even so he had met w i t h difficult times under the r e i g n of Kao Tsung. When he was about to r e t u r n to h i s n a t i v e Szechwan to go i n t o mourning f o r his mother, there was an i n a u s p i c i o u s a s t r o l o g i c a l c o n f i g u r a - t i o n , and the government asked f o r o p i n i o n s from officials. Chang Chtin s a i d t h a t although there had been peace w i t h the Chin f o r a few y e a r s , the enemy would soon seek an excuse to 14 attack t h e Sung, and t h e government s h o u l d prepare immediately. When Chang's o p i n i o n s became known t o t h e appeasement they attacked such preposterous it him v i o l e n t l y , c l a i m i n g he was i n s a n e thoughts. I n a d d i t i o n , they w o u l d be d a n g e r o u s t o a l l o w to think maintained that Chang t o r e t u r n t o Szechwan, w h i c h was so f a r away f r o m t h e c e n t r a l might party, government t h a t he c a u s e d i s o r d e r by e x p r e s s i n g h i s d i s a p p r o v a l o f c u r r e n t policy. Therefore, i t was d e c i d e d t h a t he s h o u l d be s e n t t o Y u n g - c h o u i n Hunan p r o v i n c e , where he c o u l d mourn h i s m o t h e r for the required three years porters and be k e p t away f r o m h i s s u p - i n Szechwan. When Yang W a n - l i h e a r d t h a t such a famous man was l i v i n g s o n e a r t o h i m , he was eager* t o meet Chang, f o r a l t h o u g h t h e old g e n e r a l was t e m p o r a r i l y fluential However, virtual course a n d c o u l d be o f u s e t o a young o f f i c i a l Chang was n o t a n easy exile, with after man t o v i s i t , In f a c t , three personal v i s i t s by t h e man whom he saw, and he p r o b a b l y young l o c a l h i g h e r r e s p e c t than their official. Yang f a i l e d t o see Yang was e x t r e m e l y any o f t h e o t h e r meeting, held impressed statesmen of h i s day. mind."54 changed t h e name o f h i s s t u d y o r S i n c e r e S t u d i o , and i n l a t e r consent Chang Chttn i n Chang e n c o u r a g e d Yang t o " s t u d y i n t e n t i o n and u p r i g h t mediately since h i s Yang w r o t e h i m a number o f l e t t e r s d i d Chang see t h i s sincere because as Yang. t o t h e g e n e r a l ' s h o u s e , and to During such he had c l o s e d h i s d o o r and r e f u s e d a l l i n t e r - the outside world. Chang a f t e r only o u t o f f a v o r , he was s t i l l i n - ^ s a r e sult, with a Yang i m - t o Ch' e n g - c h a i l\ times he used the study's 15 name a s h i s h a o . In a d d i t i o n Chang Chun i m p r e s s e d cal situation on Yang t h e u r g e n c y t h e camp o f t h o s e who the Chin of the present convictions, supported strenuous resistance against Tartars. views at this under the i n f l u e n c e ling, time, hut h i s l i t e r a r y of another f r i e n d serving on Yang's activities came T e - t s a o JJ?, i n minor l o c a l a l t h o u g h H s i a o had t o l e a v e L i n g - l i n g poem w h i c h Yang w r o t e t o H s i a o after i n Reply to the J u d i c i a l V u l g a r t h i n g s n e a r my e y e s After to o f f i c i a l O f f i c e r Hsiao o n l y i n c r e a s e my o u r p a r t i n g , how e m a c i a t e d I still s p u r my crawl i n pursuit I'm n o t y e t s a t i s f i e d being rT i n 1162, Yang spoke o f i n later years. Y a n g e x p r e s s e s h i s new commitment ^ 'Z p o s t s , and t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p with great tenderness shortly poli- he made w h i l e a t L i n g - n a m e l y , t h e s o u t h e r n Sung p o e t H s i a o B o t h Yang and H s i a o were Sent politi- he was h e n c e f o r t h f i r m l y Chang Chun e x e r t e d t h e g r e a t e s t i n f l u e n c e tical studies, i n C h i n a , and a l t h o u g h we do n o t know a n y t h i n g o f Yang's p r e v i o u s p o l i t i c a l in t o u r g i n g on Yang's my f r i e n d of your their In a parting, life: Te-tsao's sleep; Rhymes a h a s become. gallop; 1 3 j u s t another duck i n the w a t e r ' 0 D e s p i t e Yang's e x p r e s s i o n o f h i s a m b i t i o n s f o r o f f i c e , the p r i n c i p a l the year is influence of Hsiao on Yang was n o t p o l i t i c a l , f o r 1162 was one o f i n n o v a t i o n f o r Yang t h e p o e t , too. I t n o t c e r t a i n how l o n g Yang had b e e n w r i t i n g p o e t r y a t t h i s t i m e , a n d , a l a s , we s h a l l never know, b e c a u s e Yang burned over 16 a thousand of h i s e a r l i e r works i n 1162, and a l l of h i s s u r - v i v i n g poetry comes from a f t e r t h i s date.36 P r e v i o u s to 1162 Yang had expended h i s p o e t i c t a l e n t s i n i m i t a t i n g the verse of the K i a n g s i s c h o o l , which had formed around Huang T ' i n g - c h i e n ^ (1045-1105) i n n o r t h e r n Sung times and remained p o p u l a r i n Yang's youth. Yang h i m s e l f came from E i a n g s i as many of the major poets of the p e r i o d d i d , and the s t y l e undoubtedly had an i r r e s i s t a b l e a t t r a c t i o n to him w h i l e he was still young. Although we have no way of r e c o n s t r u c t i n g the c o n v e r s a t i o n s between the young poets Yang and Hsiao, we can be c e r t a i n t h i s f r i e n d s h i p was one of the major f a c t o r s which led to Yang's r e j e c t i o n of the e a r l i e r K i a n g s i s t y l e . ing to Yang, t h e i r very f i r s t Accord- meeting i n v o l v e d the w r i t i n g of poetry: I first got t o know him a t L i n g - l i n g . As soon as we t a l k e d , our minds were i n a c c o r d , so I c a r r i e d my bedding beds. to h i s l o d g i n g , where we s l e p t on opposite A t the time, the weather was hot and Tung-fu [Hsiao Te-tsao] wanted to s e t o f f e a r l y i n the morning. A t the f i f t h watch he got up before me, and blowing on the lamp so i t f l i c k e r e d , he scratched his head as i f he were occupied w i t h something. I got up to watch him and saw he was composing a poem as a p a r t i n g g i f t . to him. I a l s o wrote a poem i n answer Tung-fu was so d e l i g h t e d he s a i d : f r i e n d s i s l i k e g e t t i n g engaged. a s i d e a p i e c e of paper! " ^ "Making Each of us has put 17 Hsiao Te-Tsao's p o e t r y was s i m i l a r to the f r e e r style w h i c h emerged a f t e r Y a n g ' s b u r n i n g o f h i s e a r l i e r w o r k s , a n d the southern Sung p o e t and c r i t i c L i u K'o-chuang^J (1187-1269) c o n s i d e r e d t h e s t y l e o f t h e two p o e t s t o be q u i t e similar: "Hsiao Te-tsao's 'mechanism' was s i m i l a r Wan-li, yet h i s talent thought was more f o r c e d . " 3 ® Yang's e a r l i e s t Liu i s comparing tells but t o Yang was more s p a r i n g t h a n Yang w h i l e h i s surviving Nothing c o u l d be more f o r c e d p o e t r y , so h e r e i ti s likely than that H s i a o ' s v e r s e w i t h t h e l a t e Yang W a n - l i . us t h a t he somewhat r e g r e t t e d t h e a c t was s y m b o l i c burning h i s youthful of the dramatic Yang works, changes i n h i s l i f e d u r i n g h i s stay a t L i n g - l i n g . D e s p i t e Y a n g ' s new p o l i t i c a l thought of h i s family d r e w t o a c l o s e he I Receive commitment, he back a t C h l - s h u i , constantly and a s t h e y e a r 1162 wrote: a L e t t e r f r o m my During holidays, Old Parents i t ' s hard Though I f r e q u e n t l y t o be a get l e t t e r s (First poem o f two) traveler, from home. My m o t h e r a s k s when I ' l l come b a c k ; What a r e b o t h o u r t h o u g h t s I force It myself i n c r e a s e s my Formerly, like? t o d r i n k w i n e , y e t how c a n I f i n i s h i t ? sorrow and c a n n o t when I was p o o r , eliminate i t . b e f o r e becoming an official, 39 How c o u l d f a t h e r and s o n be s e p a r a t e d This f e e l i n g of i s o l a t i o n and l o n e l i n e s s then? reached a high point 1 when Y a n g s e t o u t f r o m L i n g - l i n g Year t o r e t u r n home f o r t h e New holidays: On t h e day b e f o r e New Y e a r ' s s t o p f o r t h e n i g h t a t Crooked at t h e Govern The Peace Whirlpool City and s l e e p Monastery river's broad, through cotton; t h e wind Sandbanks a r e many, b e a c h e s When was t h e c i t y E v e , g o i n g home by b o a t , I biting, so c o l d i t goes few; o u r boat goes e v e r f a r away, b u t o u r b o a t upstream. can't approach i t ; Yet i n my mind lamp's At night I've a l r e a d y a r r i v e d by t h e s i d e of the light. I p u t up i n a n a n c i e n t t e m p l e , sloshing t h r o u g h mud t o e n t e r ; When t h e damp k i n d l i n g insects A cold But at least city While this i s better s p a r s e boat people this i t sounds how c a n I g e t t o s l e e p ? t h a n g a z i n g a t t h e sky matting. s i n g and s h o u t , celebrating t h e New Could this like, I bear t o t e l l After Year p o e t ' s knees a r e bent as h i g h as h i s c h i n . When I r e t u r n home, i f my c h i l d r e n a s k me what was like chirping. window, f r e e z i n g w a l l s , under The catches f i r e , them a b o u t my f e e l i n g s tomorrow?^ t h e h o l i d a y s , Yang d i d n o t h a v e t o p a r t 0 from h i s 19 family immediately, because t i m e a f t e r New Y e a r . he moved them t o L i n g - l i n g H i s term and he p r o b a b l y joy w i t h them b e f o r e h i s r e p l a c e m e n t replacement and thought of o f f i c e t h a t he would have l e i s u r e came. no s o o n e r had they serious case duction t o a poem w r i t t e n a t t h i s istrate of Ling-ling, left of typhoid f e v e r . t o en- Unfortunately the I suddenly the f a r t h e r As Y a n g t e l l s time: us i n t h e i n t r o - "After I quit a s mag- came down w i t h t y p h o i d . A l days, I was l i k e a man I went t h e h e a v i e r i t g o t . changed d o c t o r s , c o n s u l t i n g D o c t o r a f t e r n i n e d a y s I was w e l l . To add t o h i s t h a n he came down w i t h a v e r y I c o n s u l t e d a d o c t o r f o r twenty carrying a load; long time was d e l a y e d by a number o f months, and h i s p a r e n t s misery, I was up i n t h e s p r i n g c h i l d r e n had t o r e t u r n home b e f o r e he d i d . though some- Then T'ang K u n g - l i a n g , and I thanked him w i t h the f o l l o w i n g poem:" You size up d i s e a s e s a s y o u would You use m e d i c i n e s as i f h i t t i n g L i k e Hual-yln y o u have a hundred hundred battles; Like Yu-chi you f i r e Old size up a n enemy; a bull's-eye. victories ina a a hundred T'ang, y o u r method times without a miss. 1 5 of p u l s e - t a k i n g i s b r i l l i a n t , exalted; If y o u examine a man, how c o u l d t h e d i s e a s e urchins It escape? 0 ^ 1 was f o r t u n a t e t h a t Yang had r e c o v e r e d f r o m t y p h o i d so 20 q u i c k l y , f o r great p o l i t i c a l changes were i n the a i r , and an undreamed of opportunity f o r p u b l i c o f f i c e had come to him. To understand history. these changes, we must go back a few years i n L a r g e l y due to the appeasement p o l i c i e s of Kao Tsung, t h e r e were n e a r l y twenty years of peace between the Chin and Sung governments. However, i n the year 1149, a w i l d and i r - r e s p o n s i b l e r u l e r by the name Wan-yen L i a n g a l s o known as F e i Tiy|j\ dynasty. , came to the throne In 1161 he attacked the Sung without camped h i s huge army a t T s ' a i - s h l h ^ ^ R i v e r i n Anhwei. %J The f i r s t Jfcj , who i s of the Chin p r o v o c a t i o n and , n o r t h of the Yangtze Sung army sent to meet him ran i n r e t r e a t before even g i v i n g b a t t l e , but the r e o r g a n i z e d army managed to stop the Chin from c r o s s i n g the r i v e r . The result of t h i s d e f e a t f o r the Chin was t h a t c e r t a i n o f f i c i a l s set up another lings. emperor and Wan-yen L i a n g was a s s a s s i n a t e d by h i s under4 2 D e s p i t e t h i s minor v i c t o r y , Kao Tsung was t i r e d of the changes of f o r t u n e of an Imperial l i f e , and i n 1163 he a b d i cated the throne Hsiao Tsung^ i n f a v o r of h i s son;, who was the next (1163-1190). w i t h h i g h hopes, f o r the new s o n a l i t y from h i s f a t h e r . Hsiao Yang obviously heard emperor the news emperor had a very d i f f e r e n t per- The recent v i c t o r y had encouraged Tsung i n t o t h i n k i n g that there was hope a f t e r a l l of g a i n - i n g back the n o r t h e r n h a l f of the empire. reason f o r Yang's joy was that Hsiao/ Yet the g r e a t e s t Tsung had r e c a l l e d mentor Chang Chlin and made him commander over the whole g i c Yangtze and Huai R i v e r a r e a s . ^ Most important Chang had s t r o n g l y recommended Yang to the c e n t r a l Yang's strate- of a l l , government, 21 and a s s o o n a s he had r e c o v e r e d out f o r t h e c a p i t a l and then proceed out from I city. fully from He i n t e n d e d on a l e i s u r e l y trip t y p h o i d , Yang s e t to v i s i t h i s home to Hang-chou. first When he s e t L i n g - l i n g he w r o t e : thought o f r e t u r n i n g home day a f t e r d a y , j u s t empty talk; Yet At now t h e o a r s r e a l l y I still midnight a r e d i p p i n g i n the water's can hear t h e drums o f t h e p r e f e c t tower; By tomorrow m o r n i n g I o u g h t t o h a v e l o s t Yung-chou's mountains Meanwhile, apace. the plans t o a t t a c k t h e C h i n were Chang Chlin a p p o i n t e d t h e two g e n e r a l s L i H s i e n - c h u n g , to l e a d armies, advancing t h e r e was i n i t i a l and i n the f i f t h confusion in and northward success, modern K i a n g s u . " ^ t h e c o u n t e r - a t t a c k ground suggesting sins. heard t h e Sung, Anhwel p r o v i n c e . t h e two g e n e r a l s a r g u e d Although continuously, T a r t a r s took advantage of the t h e Sung a r m i e s a proclamation blaming and through month, t h e C h i n to d e l i v e r developing a crushing defeat a t P u - l i Chang Chun was I m m e d i a t e l y to a h a l t . demoted The emperor s e n t down himself f o r t a k i n g p a r t i n the warfare t h a t t h e d e f e a t was a p u n i s h m e n t f o r h i s own Sometime s h o r t l y a f t e r h i s departure from o f t h e most r e c e n t d e v e l o p m e n t s and w r o t e : Ling-ling, Yang 22 A f t e r Reading the Proclamation (Two Don't read For poems o f T h r e e ) the Proclamation o f Wheel i t makes a man's t e a r s d r i p emperors t h i r s t What c r i m e after talented helpers. still i s l c o u r example;^ r e c o v e r f r o m Goose G a t e ' s t r o u b l e s . T h i s d i s o r d e r commenced on t h e day o f my Yet I am a b o u t The Central Plain Just We to reach Frontier haven't he c o n t i n u e d encountered d o n ' t be so s e l f - r i g h t e o u s . built a Metal Tower, n t o r e s t r e n g t h e n Yen.^- on h i s r o u t e to the c a p i t a l ^ city, Yang t h e g e n e r a l L i H s i e n - c h u n g , who had b e e n s e n t , i n after L i H s i e n - c h u n g ' s s t o r y was p a r t i c u l a r l y c a u s e he had been i n t h e m i l i t a r y to war a t t h e age o f s e v e n t e e n . by the Chin and f o r sorrow.8 ruler; immediately Fu-li. service.^ i n o u r dreams; i s a source Y e t we a r e a l r e a d y a s p i r i n g As only i s an e x t r a o r d i n a r y you o f f i c i a l s , still exists e nativity, t h e age o f s t r o n g still the Southern His Highness All b do o u r b o y s o f good f a m i l y h a v e ? w i s h t o make D a n g e r o u s P o r d We w i l l a barbarians, They know who t h e i r g r e a t g e n e r a l I Tower, down. H e a v e n , y o u make room f o r t h e s e So of Self-Censure over two h u n d r e d the debacle of t r a g i c , be- since following h i s father When t h e f a m i l y was o f h i s r e l a t i v e s were L i b a r e l y managed t o e s c a p e w i t h a f e w f r i e n d s captured slaughtered, to the H s i - h s i a fa J | kingdom. from r e t u r n i n g to d e l i v e r a stunning met him, the d e j e c t e d the road had kept the battle The to the H s i - h s i a . ? the on h i s way old general of F u - l i . As officers, who army to h i s exile: L i Hsien-chung, storehouses a result an he who to h i m s e l f caused s c a t t e r e d , and Li When Y a n g 4 h i s t r e a s u r i e s and to If a defeat to prevent L i managed t o r a i s e g e n e r a l was I met ment among t h e exiled H s i - h s i a attempted t h e Sung, b u t and On The at resenthe was Ch'ang-sha. covetous general military books do i s worthy not of employ, misunderstand a the present. I o n l y mourn s u r r e n d e r e d Mountain; b e g r u d g e s g o l d f o r war Why i s he He admires My exiled Chu a p o s i t i o n were now impotent future. found to the Yfln alone, completely to r e s i s t P e r h a p s , he the hooves? 0 Chia Y i ; speak? i t slowly to myself. ® 4 t h a t h i s hopes f o r h i g h d a s h e d and Chin d e me I chant realized steeds' same p r e f e c t u r e a s scholar l i k e poem f i n i s h e d , Yang o b v i o u s l y Ear D Who Where can was armor h i g h as B e a r the central official government c h a l l e n g e a t l e a s t f o r the even began t o have d o u b t s a b o u t h i s p o e t i c i n n o v a t i o n s , f o r s e v e r a l d a y s l a t e r he near new wrote: 24 Spending Thin clouds blind the N i g h t a t t h e b e a u t i f u l moon, But t h e wind becomes h e r m e t a l I'm traveling b e c a u s e I'm But what b u s i n e s s do Why does the cold Tu-hsi the eye-scraper, engaged w i t h my c l o u d s have could people Can we My like c a l l s me traveling? me? us f o r g e t s t o p t h e autumn f r o m s h o r t lamp d o e s n ' t F o r he work, of such a n i g h t Meet o n l y w i t h a t r a v e l e r l i k e How a our emotions; m a k i n g us understand t o r e c i t e a new 0 sad? anything, 0 poem.^^ Sometime i n t h e t w e l f t h month o f t h e y e a r , Yang reached had the c a p i t a l city been demoted, he still c e n t r a l g o v e r n m e n t , and authorities. was of the l a r g e s t one city managed t o recommend Yang t o i n the world However, he i n a number o f e x c u r s i o n s t o c e r t a i n L a k e , w h i c h were p r a c t i c a l l y visit. A b o u t West Lake he Misty bays; i n the the Hang-chou i t p r o b a b l y big cities, and excess he d i d n o t Year f e s t i v i t i e s did J o i n h i s new sights obligatory such as t h e West f o r a young poet sideways, which friends wrote: b o a t s , h o r i z o n t a l and port position with a population i n the d a z z l i n g New witnessed. Chang Chun official Yang d i d n o t l i k e poems a b o u t certainly he Although h e l d an the time Yang v i s i t e d million.5° w r i t e any he At o f Hang-chou. finally l i e i n willow to 2 5 Cloudy How m o u n t a i n s a p p e a r and could disappear midst willow c l i m b i n g a m o u n t a i n e q u a l w a n d e r i n g by rows. this lake? For i n the h e a r t of the mountains I wantt^ Due the p o s t time was of month o f official moon o f t h e New i l l , so he of rice; career, f o r shortly m a t t e r how good mean t o he d i d not before the r a i n and first miles on the path plotting home: for five pecks and the waits, so I should s p r i n g scenery go home. i s , what does plum f l o w e r s o n l y make me home h i s f a t h e r was sad.^ 2 a l r e a d y d e a d , and Yang the l o n g three y e a r mourning p e r i o d p r e s c r i b e d and the government. home, he was Chun had a l s o passed A f t e r a few away s o o n a f t e r Yang had Yang wrote t h r e e f u n e r a r y by months o f m o u r n i n g a t f u r t h e r grieved to hear that h i s teacher realized seem me? When Y a n g r e t u r n e d viously some- a No society offered /jfx Nevertheless, q u i c k l y s e t out old f a t h e r waits commenced Chang Chun, Y a n g was Y e a r , Y a n g r e c e i v e d news t h a t h i s f a t h e r My Fine of 1164. I have come a t h o u s a n d it a l l the I n s t r u c t o r of L i n - a n Fu f o r higher very see 1 good o f f i c e s i n the f i r s t fated full t o the l a k e , I can left the odes t o h i s o l d t e a c h e r , but Chang capital. he ob- t h a t h i s f u t u r e h o p e s f o r a c a r e e r were dimmed c o n s i d e r a b l y i n any case, he could take no new post until 26 the three year p e r i o d was Throughout t h e r e s t except his f o r a few f u n e r a r y neighbors beginning he who l e f t o f t h e y e a r Yang wrote v e r y f e w poems odes and p a r t i n g poems t o c e r t a i n o f the v i l l a g e to o f f i c i a l posts. By t h e o f 1 1 6 5 , h i s s o r r o w had l i g h t e n e d c o n s i d e r a b l y , and began t o take spots finished. a number o f s h o r t t r i p s i n Kiangsi province. to various One day w h i l e enjoying beauty such a n ex- c u r s i o n he w r o t e : While I Am R i d i n g a P a l a n q u i n of Book My Holding to I books, She eyes t u r n hazy at a l l , ting into at practice had p r o b a b l y I h i s new i s jealous stand two l i n e s Yang them one by suggest i d e a of w r i t i n g discovered while t h e same time But t h e s p r i n g wind of the period In the l a s t about them, f o r first. b l o w s open t h e p a g e s and f l i p s poem and o t h e r s Te-tsao. myself me; This he forcing t h e books o u t b u t d o n ' t r e a d F o r no r e a s o n of I g e t on t h e c a r t , Turns t h e Pages go o u t t o t h e m o u n t a i n s ; spread my t h e Wind still one"5^ t h a t Yang was simple put- poetry, at Ling-ling with o f a poem he w r o t e to a Hsiao. friend states: up and s e a r c h f o r a v e r s e a w h i l e , the verse i s i n the mountains b e f o r e my which eyes.55 27 Despite Y a n g had and on not one this greater feeling totally r e s i g n e d h i m s e l f to h i s f a t h e r ' s death, o f h i s s h o r t e x c u r s i o n s he On A long pavilion, This I is still still and My of n a t u r a l n e s s i n h i s poetry, t h e Road to wrote: Hao-ytian a short p a v i l i o n , the road remember t h e I traveled sky was three or as a cold, five; boy. the sun small yellow; f a t h e r walked Today I am the not i n front, while sad I looked on b e c a u s e I have r e a c h e d i n back. the end my old of road; L i k e a s i c k goose, I f l y a l o n e h a v i n g lost gander. For three years tree for he office c a p i t a l had new of the midst the pine travels w i l l begin again.56 travels i n Kiangsi, must s o o n make a n o t h e r attempt to win c e n t r a l government. In f a c t , he left Y e a r o f 1167. completely arrived The from w i t h the Chinese had political situation t h e heyday C h i n government. aroused Chi- i n Hang-chou sometime The i n the of Chang Chun. t h e r o u t o f F u - 1 1 , t h e Sung emperor had peace t r e a t y attack my o f t h e y e a r and changed after doors t a l k i n g about h i s l o c a l i n the t o t h e New Shortly on, not merely s h u i a t t h e end close time knew t h a t he public c l o s e d my wind; From t h i s Y a n g was I've feeble signed a counter- a c e r t a i n degree of r e s p e c t 28 among t h e C h i n , the f o r t h e Sung government no l o n g e r had t o use l a n g u a g e o f a v a s s a l s t a t e when r e f e r r i n g rulers. Nevertheless, t o pay was q u i t e huge. precipitated warnings next a violent concerning t h e r e was the y e a r l y indemnity virtual forty Chang Chun's fall to the Chin w h i c h t h e Sung had f r o m f a v o r had n o t purge of the pro-war f a c t i o n , t h e C h i n were p e a c e between some y e a r s . unheeded by H s i a o but their T s u n g , and t h e two g o v e r n m e n t s f o r t h e A l l t h e same, a r d e n t patriots sent up c o u n t l e s s m e m o r i a l s t o t h e emperor u r g i n g a t t a c k , b u t Yang learned the r e s u l t official of these he b e f r i e n d e d labors after i n the talking to a minor capital: A C o l o p h o n on t h e M e m o r i a l o f Ten Thousand Words by the F u - k a n Wei His Chih-yao from s h o r t lamp m i d s t A traveler with Why take Yang government of t h i s quickly realized early we find snow; t o eat.* a 5 up m e m o r i a l s w i t h age r e s p e c t only Master F i c t i o n ! t h a t he c o u l d n o t o b t a i n a until increasingly frequent 0 central capital, d i s c u s s i n g the I t a l s o seems t h a t h i s i n Ch'an B u d d h i s m was poems o f t h e p e r i o d . i n the autumn o f t h e y e a r , s i t u a t i o n with f r i e n d s . interest is like sword, he h a s no f i s h under the c o n d i t i o n s e x i s t i n g y e t he r e m a i n e d t h e r e political his hair cries? t h e men post the r a i n , the t r o u b l e of sending mournful Truly long Szechwan renewed references at this time, f o r t o Buddhism i n the I n one poem t o a f r i e n d Yang a l l u d e s t o 29 "Questions This is a the ^ a and a n s w e r s i n t h e monk's room, t h e specific reference Lin-chid^. ^ jjf or, l i t e r a l l y , question designed cursive i.e., with Sect Ch'an B u d d h i s t s 'public case.' t h e monk a n s w e r s him to destroy thought. "roared," a of t o t h e method o f stick. the concept Lin-chi at their By the drastic off a friend official To step and They n e v e r C h i - s h u i he he may seemed concerned Yang r e m a i n e d me were beyond h i s from the reached considered remote, so sending the remote; I became sad.^9 i n C h i - s h u i f o r the next already reached and t h e age two of his w a i t i n g f o r an op- He outstanding accomplishments i n e i t h e r l i t e r a t u r e h i s name, so when h i s e y e s began t o f a i l traught: them reach: portunity. to had t h a t both beginning, meeting f r i e n d s , w r i t i n g poetry, had in dis- However, when to f e e l asks shouted, have e v e n o f f i c i a l d o m o r Buddhism, b o t h recklessly life, and by kung-an pummeled home he 8 statement inherent a t times t i m e Yang r e t u r n e d monastic l i f e select and used student a bewildering o f b e c o m i n g a monk. from known as When t h e of d u a l i t y students roars."5 teaching masters a l s o f r e q u e n t l y the d e p t h of h i s d e p r e s s i o n , the with lion years of f o r t y he or without politics became dis- any B e c a u s e o f My I'm o l d , and After a l l , Ink A g i n g E y e s I Gave up b o o k s no my l o n g e r h a v e any eyes a l r e a d y s o l d i e r s are not After snow, t h e f r o s t While chanting small son Reciting By the signed see poetry, my livelihood. my hat just himself to the 1166 in strength; lies crooked. lazy; l e s s o n s a t n i g h t , he Year of raises a racket came a l o n g possibility On A l l hope o f h i g h the n i g h t of the f i r s t writing auspicious inside them i n o r d e r year. We long call poem a b o u t this moon, o u r i n t o the shape o f expressions, to d i v i n e our in full jest. purpose!^ already reany- t o s u c h g r e a t men as futile: village has cocoon w h i c h we a fibers then l u c k f o r the "cocoon d i v i n a t i o n . " this Last year at f i r s t full on m i g h t n e v e r be p o s i t i o n seemed e q u a l l y custom of g r i n d i n g r i c e and Yang had t h a t he t h i n g more t h a n a m i n o r p o e t l o o k i n g up Tu F u . place; flowers. increases knows I'm t i m e New Sighed f r i e n d s t o ones d e a t h ; C a s s i a wine seems t o be My Books and place coming I wrote a a moon I r e s i d e d a t Three Thoroughfares;^ Braving the myself This year rain, I looked at the lamps, f o r c i n g t o make m e r r y . at f u l l moon t i m e , I'm living a t home again, 0 31 And our Across village the and doesn't creek drums, i n the I wonder i f t h e r e The c h i l d r e n cook And i n the m i d d l e , My b u s h s h r i n e , a few rain, flutes still jade are rice they any revelers i n t o cocoon hide lucky out. threads words, praying secret. little post While to All just 0 Yet in even have l a m p s , son Implores t h a t he will get an official early, the little be good. his life girls just ask t h i s m a s t e r has f o r the laughed silk a t the harvest children's foolishness, But on this occasion even I p l a y I d o n ' t d e s i r e t o p l a n t my Palace, Nor do legs Gardens. s e t up a nest want t o r e c i t e Tu F u ' s And able fill heart i n the child. Golden Flower i n the Imperial Grove e I only I n my a d I wish to be like to e a t my I know t h e seven-character a l l the year poems, long. cocoon d i v i n a t i o n doesn't always come t r u e , But, when i n my I'm Yet ing tion drunkeness, wild with the last joy! line I get fortune, 6 1 of the poem, i n a d d i t i o n t o d i s p l a y - a warm s e n s e o f humor, b e t r a y s t o o f f i c i a l d o m , and a good Yang's c o n t i n u i n g a s p i r a - despite h i s frequent protestations to 32 the c o n t r a r y , i n 1169 he wrote: G a z i n g A f a r on a n Autumn Evening During the r i c h h a r v e s t of our v i l l a g e , I hear the sound of people l a u g h i n g and The creek's mist i s redder, damper a t The p i n e ' s sun y e l l o w e r and Since we Why talking. evening; l i g h t e r as i t s e t s . are not deep i n t o autumn, i s the a i r so pure already? I shouldn't he i d l e much l o n g e r ; Soon I ' l l go hunting f o r honor and fame.62 Yang d i d not have to go to the c a p i t a l to seek "honor and fame," f o r i n the beginning of 1170, he was appointed which was not much over a hundred m i l e s to the n o r t h of C h i - s h u i . A c c o r d i n g to Tang's b i o g r a p h e r s , he was adopted a model governor and a p o l i c y of l a i s s e z - f a i r e toward the people i n h i s d i s t r i c t . When people owed tax money to the government, Yang d i d not send c o l l e c t o r s i n t o the c o u n t r y s i d e to f o r c e c o l l e c t i o n merely d i s p l a y e d the names of o f f e n d e r s i n the market p l a c e and f i l l e d h i s tax quota without However, Yang d i d not e n t i r e l y found but causing any enjoy h i s new undue t r o u b l e . work, f o r he i t so time-consuming t h a t i t i n t e r f e r e d w i t h h i s w r i t i n g . In the middle of h i s t r a v e l s about the d i s t r i c t b u s i n e s s he wrote: on official P a s s i n g West I n one y e a r I've t r o d d e n Mountain the road a p a s t West M o u n t a i n twice; West M o u n t a i n l a u g h s a t me, so he s h o u l d know enough to s a y : " I n y o u r b r e a s t y o u have a h u n d r e d black i n k dust, But you don't the Out g a l l o n s o f r e d and 1 3 even h a v e h a l f a line equal p e a r l c u r t a i n i n the r a i n . ' " t o "wind 0 o f p o l i t e n e s s I buy wine and t h a n k West M o u n t a i n : "I'm g r a t e f u l f o r your mountain scenery, g i v e n me a Yet f o r you've lift. my t e m p l e h a i r s a r e t u r n i n g w h i t e f r o m collecting taxes, And even i f d u s t filled up my w h o l e b r e a s t , when would I have time t o worry about it? ^" 6 Y a n g h a d no d e s i r e t o c o n t i n u e another, and h i s a m b i t i o n s were c l e a r l y order t o g a i n a t t e n t i o n , he b u s i e d large treatise titled ing "A P o l i c y chapters (3) "The S o u r c e o f Government," of the Ruler," after ( 2 ) "The C o n d i t i o n s ( 4 ) "Talent," ( 6 ) "A D i s c u s s i o n o f In preparing a w h i c h he e n It i s interesti n h i s work. t o each of the twelve "The Way of Ministers," 6 4 s u b j e c t s Yang d i s c u s s e d (1) cussion chapters o f a Thousand P r e c a u t i o n s . " were d e v o t e d post s e t on H a n g - c h o u . himself with on government i n t h i r t y t o note the various Three i n one l o c a l topics: of the State," ( 5 ) "A D i s - Generals," (?) "A D i s c u s s i o n of S o l d i e r s , " (9) " S e l e c t i n g Laws," cials," not (12) (10) (8) "Penal "Controlling Laws," (11) "Government o f t h e P e o p l e . " capital, p r i m e m i n i s t e r Ch'en C h u n - o h ' i n g ' ^ y f ^ post Therefore, i n the "Excess was and long he time, had he looked t e n t h month, Y a n g was left A Proclamation and so I Set forward Peng-hsin to a post a t the with Compels me considerable to P i l l my Post o f f from Ming-shan Post were the extremely given o f P r o f e s s o r o f t h e D i r e c t o r a t e o f E d u c a t i o n )£] ^ Although Offi- Yang's e f f o r t s b u r i e d i n t h e mass o f p a p e r w o r k a t t h e pressed. Officials," imthe t ^ j ~t • capital for a trepidation: a t the Station in Academy the Morning Several A shops, as thousand M a r k s on The frosty ice s t i l l grass mediocre, s p o t , my Everything i n the not Before capital, we i t would Thousand P r e c a u t i o n s " cally the I f i t my expressed flowers. position at city is early to f o l l o w the course be best court; white. wonderful, r e t u r n i n g home o f Yang's l i f e to l o o k a t h i s " P o l i c y in greater detail, alter his political ideas into temples are a l r e a d y proceed together; waves; turns capital as good a s close yet i n disarray. bear itself Spot a f t e r But the peaks, ordered the Ordinary, i f scattered yet views f o r the f o r he rest i n t h i s document h e l p us of a d i d not drasti- of h i s l i f e , to in understand and 35 Yang's subsequent c a r e e r . supported do n o t have any ments d i s p l a y s a g r e a t tary features rather legalist this o f Yang's d i s c u s s i o n s t a n d w h i c h he Wang A n - s h i h takes. One Yang s e t of docu- u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the p o l i t i c a l remarkable s i m i l a r i t y low striking novelty, p r o b l e m s o f t h e s o u t h e r n Sung d y n a s t y . startling a Although the p o l i c i e s which and mili- o f t h e most of p e n a l law i s the In t h i s regard he shows t o t h e famous n o r t h e r n Sung r e f o r m e r ^ (1021-1086), a f i g u r e who was held i n e s t e e m by more o r t h o d o x C o n f u c i a n s s u c h a s Chu H s i b u t whom Yang admired intensely. With regard to punishments Yang wrote: I have heard t h a t limits. wishing ally it the humanity I f h i s humanity humanity not being l i m i t e d . limit, to r e v e r t Yet, isn't humanity i t will and revert. c a u s e s harm, of the when s o m e t h i n g I f one end up d o i n g harm. o f h i s humanity setting Therefore, world without l i m i t , there actu- but a f a u l t Certainly, limits i s humane t h e mind w h i c h h a s no l i m i t He does but a r i s e s limits within ones and h a r m i n g o f t h e sage l o v e s yet i n giving i s a limit. T h i s harm will i n o r d e r to p e r f e c t b e t t e r than not s e t t i n g humanity? world though t h e n upon r e a c h i n g a n e x t r e m i t y , he come f r o m o u t s i d e it. I f h i s humanity of the humanity, r e a c h e s an e x t r e m i t y , not d o e s n o t have l i m i t s , the w o r l d . i s not a f a u l t have must have i t s t o be humane t o a l l t h e w o r l d , he w i l l harm a l l without o f a Sage h i s humanity ones the to the e x t e n d s i t w i t h h i s mind but r e s t r a i n s i t w i t h humanity that sets limits. that with h i s humanity has l i m i t s b u t w h i c h he p r a c t i c e s h u m a n i t y h a s no In a n c i e n t was a b o u t king, Therefore, t i m e s when t h e I n v e s t i g a t o r o f C r i m i n a l s t o complete a case, and t h e k i n g w o u l d to attend limits. the hearing. he would command the three t h e p u n i s h m e n t , t h e k i n g would and the I n v e s t i g a t o r of Criminals to the ministers When t h e y were a b o u t out impossible!" report to carry s a y , "Pardon him!" would The k i n g would a g a i n say, " I t i s s a y , "Pardon him!" and t h e I n v e s t i g a t o r o f C r i m i n a l s would a g a i n s a y , "It i s impossible!" I f he had p a r d o n e d times but the I n v e s t i g a t o r agree, would this t h e n t h e y would of Criminals The k i n g t h e n c a n c e l h i s b a n q u e t s and n o t make merry on account. Criminals wished Now, d e s p i t e three fourth times, t h e h o n o r o f t h e Son o f by t h e I n v e s t i g a t o r o f a l t h o u g h t h e Son o f H e a v e n t o s a v e t h e man, he would w a t c h h i m d i e i n end w i t h o u t after three intervening. When t h e y d i d n o t a g r e e p a r d o n s , why d i d n o t he p a r d o n t h e man a time? I f they d i d n o t agree a f t e r four d o n s , why d i d he n o t p a r d o n t h e man numerous Or r a t h e r , when t h e y d i d n o t a g r e e a f t e r why d i d he n o t p a r d o n t h e man h i m s e l f , he . ity three d i d not f i n a l l y e x e c u t e t h e man. H e a v e n , i f he were opposed the t h e man have t o l i s t e n times? one p a r d o n , and why d i d to the I n v e s t i g a t o r of Criminals? . . T h i s was s i m p l y of a sage. par- because pardoning The p a r d o n i n g b e c a u s e h u m a n i t y must h a v e i s limited limits. 6 6 i s t h e humanto three times, 37 I f Yang W a n - l i ' s a t t i t u d e t o Wang A n - s h l h ' s a t t i t u d e resemblance cated. first i n the military In g e n e r a l , toward toward law, there p o l i c i e s which the m i l i t a r y corresponds i s even a closer t h e two men advo- policy o f t h e Sung f r o m t h e emperor T ' a i T s u onward d i s p l a y e d a marked d i s l i k e f o r professional military men and l a r g e v i e w s were no d o u b t due t o f e a r those which t h e T'ang e m p i r e brought standing armies. of m i l i t a r y power d u r i n g result the F i v e D y n a s t i e s . o f such m i l i t a r y contemplated revolts to ruin T s u h i m s e l f had w i t n e s s e d and u t i l i z e d the punishments Such such as and w h i c h T ' a i to b r i n g himself to By t h e t i m e o f Wang A n - s h i h , t h i n k i n g was c l e a r the continuous defeats t o anyone who o f Sung a r m i e s a t t h e h a n d s o f t h e L i a o and H s i - h s i a , w h i l e by t h e t i m e o f Y a n g Wanl i a drastic national pose change o f m i l i t a r y survival. policy was i m p e r a t i v e f o r To c o u n t e r t h e m i l i t a r y o f t h e p a o - c h i a was t o c r e a t e a c l a s s similar to the f u - p l n g of m i l i t a r y conquest o f S o l d i e r s " Yang I have heard ^+ o f t h e T'ang d y n a s t y . that but also I f one i n s i s t s t h i n k about because farmers i n the early years In h i s " D i s c u s s i o n one who p l a n s f o r t h e w o r l d it. cannot c a n n o t be o v e r c a u t i o u s on d o i n g s o m e t h i n g b e - c a u s e he i s g r e e d y f o r p r o f i t , not of s o l d i e r writes; be g r e e d y f o r p r o f i t , a b o u t harm. so e f f e c t i v e t h r e a t Wang A n - s h i h when harm comes, he w i l l I f one i n s i s t s on d o i n g something he i s o v e r c a u t i o u s a b o u t harm, he w i l l certainly lose some p r o f i t . "The law o f r u r a l practice. but Men who d i s c u s s t h i s a l l s a y : soldiers The p e o p l e cannot be p u t i n t o take p l e a s u r e i n farming t h e y do n o t t a k e p l e a s u r e i n b e c o m i n g I f y o u t a k e what t h e y d e s i r e f r o m them and f o r c e them t o do what t h e y do n o t d e s i r e , h a v e t h e harm o f d i s t u r b i n g into habit. When d e f e n d i n g , t h e y w i l l attacking soldiers they w i l l of f a i l u r e . " /iz ^ 2 soldiers C* 1111 disperse, registered of the various d i s t r i c t s P a c i f i c a t i o n Army." t h e y mean by " d i s t u r b i n g how t h e C h i n d y n a s t y a They And y e t , t h e so t h i s i s what They a l s o s e e i s what they o n l y know o f t h i s and n o t h one c a n p a c i f y t h e them, and one c a n s u c c e e d . . . . . I f a h u n d r e d men h o l d i n g weapons a t t a c k a the t i g e r w i l l called I n t h e end i t so t h i s They do n o t know t h a t people without d i s t u r b i n g . them s e t up s o l d i e r s whom t h e y was u s e l e s s and was d i s b a n d e d , without f a i l u r e the r u r a l the p e o p l e . " t h e "Army o f t h e H e a v e n l y M a j e s t y . " 3 Ching-t'ang's and c a l l e d c o u l d n o t make a l i v e l i h o o d , i n g more. when r u n , and t h e n y o u have t h e harm dynasty mean by " f a i l u r e . " * To make i s not according to t h e i r T h e s e men s e e how S h i h the " M i l i t a r y people then you w i l l the people. farmers soldiers. tiger, w i n , b u t i f a s i n g l e man c a r r y i n g a hoe meets w i t h a t i g e r , t h e man w i l l w i n . not because the hundred men a r e weak o r t h e s i n g l e is strong . . . This i s man The s i n g l e man o c c u p i e s a p o s i t i o n i n w h i c h he w i l l will surely tion of l i f e , Therefore, ancient surely live. d i e , and t h i s T h e s e h u n d r e d men o c c u p y a so how c o u l d t h e y times employed d e a t h with l i f e . seek l i f e because o f death? it posi- obtain victory? t h o s e who were good a t u s i n g s o l d i e r s i n seek l i f e the i s t h e r e a s o n he law of r u r a l Don't soldiers t o seek l i f e the people and d i d n o t of the f r o n t i e r - N e v e r t h e l e s s , when p u t t i n g into practice on t h e f r o n t i e r , a b s o l u t e l y must n o t be done by t h e o f f i c i a l s . the officials do i t , t h e n if i t i s privately If the o f f i c i a l s there w i l l done, then do i t , t h e n be t r o u b l e , b u t there w i l l s o m e t h i n g , b u t i f i t i s done p r i v a t e l y , know where t o l o o k . ies and c o u n t i e s a l o n g t h e H u a l r u f f i a n s from we s h o u l d and the secretly remit their frontier come suspect t h e enemy people not to prevent the l o c a l Also, s e a r c h f o r t h o s e who a r e t a l e n t e d and r e w a r d i n g t a x e s and l e v i e s them. A t times slightly, t o reward will their merit. we o r on present H o p e f u l l y , the t a k e p l e a s u r e i n war, and i f one t h e r e i s a n emergency, t h e enemy w i l l south. will o r d e r t h e commander- g r o u n d s o f u s i n g them t o e l i m i n a t e b a n d i t s , .them w i t h a p o s t day should happiness. g a t h e r i n g f o r c e s and c a r r y i n g arms. strong, honoring should We be t h e enemy w i l l not If not e a s i l y (TO The practicality but i n any e v e n t , o f Y a n g ' s p r o g r a m was somewhat p r o b l e m a t i c a l , such a p o l i c y would p r o b a b l y never g a i n much f a v o r w i t h t h e i m p e r i a l h o u s e , b e c a u s e t h e Sung emperors had 40 labored hard t o e l i m i n a t e any m i l i t a r y c l e a r memory o f t h e numerous p e a s a n t o u t d u r i n g Kao T s u n g ' s Yang was f u l l y tween t h e p e o p l e ject the i n rather rivals, and t h e y had a rebellions t h a t had broken reign. aware o f t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s e x i s t i n g be- and t h e g o v e r n m e n t , and he w r o t e o f t h i s u n c o n v e n t i o n a l language sub- i n h i s "Government o f People:" I have h e a r d but the people a r e the l i f e t h e enemy o f t h e o f f i c i a l s . delight The that of the p r i n c e rise and f a l l what e v i l o f t h e empire do t h e o f f i c i a l s the people hate them? of Y e t i f they the people. subordinates w i l l behind while merit e n t i c e s no from of the state. this alone. do toward Yet, the people they do n o t t r e a t be w i t h o u t have f a u l t . that a r e enemies the people as m e r i t , and t h e i r Fault drives them f r o m ahead. them from Although t o be enemies o f t h e p e o p l e , way o u t . F o r t h i s are the and t h e l e n g t h o f t h e I t i s not that enemies t h e g r e a t ones w i l l t h e y do n o t w i s h The o f f i c i a l s but the d i s t r e s s dynastic fortunes a l l arise of the state they have r e a s o n , when a new p o l i c y i s f o r m i n g and t h e emperor h a s a n i d e a b u t h a s n o t y e t decided, the o f f i c i a l s e m p e r o r h a s a command yet, the o f f i c i a l s officials precede a l l agree a l l agree w i t h him. When t h e but has n o t put i t i n t o a l l precede him. practice The r e a s o n t h e w i t h t h e emperor's d e c i s i o n and t h e emperor's p r a c t i c e s i s n o t because they a r e 41 p r a i s i n g what what i s of b e n e f i t i s unbeneficlal n o t p r a i s e what i s unbeneficlal what i s beneficial who have m e r i t . beneficlal fault to the people. i s beneficial what w h i l e men p r a i s e what to this merit, they w i l l The p e o p l e certain i t i s not subsequently "The p e o p l e have a l l p a i d 6 9 to apply h i s ideas empire: I have h e a r d y e a r was b u t d i d anyone t e l l that the r i s i n g brought H i s Majesty t h e c o u r t was t a x e s as t h i s . certainly i t . Not o n l y do of the on by l o c a l administered the "equal g r a i n purchase" knew t h a t a l l the say t h a t do n o t r e p o r t i n t h e Sung Lin Bandits last t o the people the government g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n Yang p r o c e e d s On t h e s t r e e t s in are without and a s k s locality, t h e emperor s a y i n g : r e c e n t events who praise i t , but the o f f i c i a l s with p l e a s u r e ! " After who When t h e c o u r t i n t e n d s t o t a k e good, b u t t h e o f f i c i a l s cheat Men do but p r a i s e are not n e c e s s a r i l y i t i s good. they n o t r e p o r t i s i t they i s unbeneficlal some money beyond t h e q u o t a answer t h a t praise r e a s o n , p o l i c i e s w h i c h a r e un- to the people i n a certain they to the people to the people For this Why to the people? o f t h e emperor. officers to the people; this? a officers poorly, A l l the empire i n t e n d i n g to eliminate such N e v e r t h e l e s s , I have a l s o h e a r d commanderles o f K i a n g s l , a commandery that A, w h i c h does n o t produce that silk, i t d e s i r e s t o buy s i l k f r o m what d o e s t h i s mean? starts business with T h i s i s why ginnings. Now amount a s t h e i r not being not acquiesce the people the o f f i c i a l s . o f commandery [normal] w i t h money. a r e punished People who do by t h e o f f i c i a l s . are being reproved the s o - c a l l e d i n standard these uniforms taxes. Now 0 commandery. the silk tion. d officials 1 3 tax" i s also we a l s o demand c r u e l ex- i n c l u d e d i n the standard silk of the neighboring of s i l k c o u r t o r among t h e more c o r r u p t l o c a l i n Hang-chou s h o r t l y quickly became i n v o l v e d i n t h e s w i r l that year Hsiao with exac- Yet the know.7° arrived In levy along stand f o r t h i s ? Yang's p o l i c i e s were n o t c a l c u l a t e d the the so-called taxes a r e a f o u r - f o l d can t h e p e o p l e do n o t l e t y o u commandery. i s already i n - In a d d i t i o n , These t h r e e t y p e s of the standard How "equal buying" taxes. Sup- f o r not paying a c t i o n s a r e b e i n g made f o r t h e n e i g h b o r i n g "Huai B taxes, y e t the people a r e t h e i r normal taxes, but i n r e a l i t y cluded con- [ f o r s i l k ] a c c o r d i n g t o t h e same compensated they But a Sage i s c a r e f u l a b o u t be- the v a r i o u s c i t i e s are being l e v i e d Moreover, B. o u t as " b u s i n e s s " b u t ends up b e i n g fiscation. posedly to the court commandery There i s n o t h i n g d e s p i s e more t h a n d o i n g It has said to win him f r i e n d s i n officials, a f t e r New Y e a r ' s Tsung a t t e m p t e d o f 1 1 7 1 , he of the c a p i t a l ' s to appoint so when he politics. h i s son-in-law 43 ^° YttehJ^L Chang Many o f f i c i a l s r o a r ensued. a n i n f l u e n t i a l p o s i t i o n i n the m i l i t a r y . thought Chang was incompetent and a p u b l i c upThe o p p o s i t i o n centered around Chang who was the son of Yang's mentor Chang ChUn. ShihJ^^j Although Chang S h i h was not a great m i l i t a r y l e a d e r l i k e h i s f a t h e r , he supp o r t e d the same forward p o l i c y a g a i n s t the Chin, which had l e d his f a t h e r to d i s g r a c e . ^H" w n e r e k e w a s In the c a p a c i t y of L e c t u r e r i n W a i t i n g supposed to d i s c u s s new p o l i c i e s i n the presence of the emperor, Chang v i o l e n t l y attacked the a p p o i n t ment of Chang Ylieh, which he f e l t would only add to the m i l i t a r y c o n f u s i o n of the dynasty. were a l r e a d y unpopular with the emperor, Chang was appointed Governor of Ylian-chou 3 ^ Hj % governmentYang and Since Chang S h l h ' s war p o l i c i e s t o remove him from the c e n t r a l Immediately came to Chang Shlh's defence, i n a memorial Yang sent to the emperor he dared to imply t h a t Hsiao Tsung wished t o demote Chang S h i h to avenge Chang Yiieh. Yang was no doubt paying back a debt of g r a t i t u d e he owed to Chang ChUn, but h i s a c t i o n s were a l s o motivated by the p o l i t i c a l p o l i c i e s which we have a l r e a d y seen expressed i n h i s treatise. Chang Ylieh was f i n a l l y S h i h l e f t f o r Ylian-chou. confirmed i n h i s new post and Chang I t i s somewhat p u z z l i n g that Yang was not demoted along w i t h him, but Yang's biography t e l l s us that his s p i r i t e d defence of Chang Shih won the poet much a d m i r a t i o n among other o f f i c i a l s , and Hsiao Tsung probably d i d not t h i n k i t worth h i s t r o u b l e t o d i s t u r b someone i n such a low p o s i t i o n as Yang and thereby e x c i t e more p u b l i c d i s a p p r o v a l . 44 After his life this was initial relatively t h e n i n t h month o f Assistant of t h e w h i c h he with of 4^ a g a i n promoted . Y a n g was mostly produced to the and years. post ^ he of ij£ held • In Executive ^ In this I n t h e f o u r t h month o f o f C o n s t r u c t i o n J'-^- p o s t s were e v e n r e m o t e l y post and the t h r e e y e a r s he -/^ powerful, of i n the he "ij and docu- a b s o l u t e l y no spent of 1173 t h e p r e p a r a t i o n o f government p a p e r w o r k , Yang had poems w o r t h y Luckily court r i t u a l s , ^ in this to poetry no promoted Imperial S a c r i f i c e s busied with Immersed devote was to V i c e - d i r e c t o r None o f t h e s e ments. he two t h a t of R i g h t E x e c u t i v e of the M i n i s t r y -J-^ Personnel to 1172 Court i n Yang's c a r e e r i n Hang-chou, u n e v e n t f u l f o r the n e x t oversaw c e r t a i n simultaneously was storm time capital notice. f o r the h i s t o r y of C h i n e s e literature, Yang was v appointed G o v e r n o r o f Chang-chou the f i r s t month o f C h a n g - c h o u , he was In the y e a r In the morning the evening even envy Think of r in already very I left I slept on at by tired boat province i n of o f f i c i a l life: Governor of Chang-chou. a t D r a g o n M o u n t a i n and T'ung-lu. the roads, (Second I have n e v e r the mountain people t h e day i n Puklen When Y a n g s e t o u t f o r h i s p o s t i n chla-wu I s e t out as Racing about I 1174. Vtj who live o f two g o t any so poems) peace; leisurely. when I r e t u r n t o m o u n t a i n s and live peace; Then I can f o r g e t foreverl7 2 r a c i n g and running about in on roads 45 In f a c t , Yang n e v e r d i d go t o Chang-chou, b e c a u s e he g a v e up h i s p o s t and r e t u r n e d Although refusal Yang may from o f f i c i a l strong. service, According to C h i - s h u i i n s t e a d . h a v e been p a r t i a l l y of the governorship motivated other motives seem much more d e s i r a b l e p o s t , t h e more e c o n o m i c a l l y much more c o n v e n i e n t c i t y . W h e n after h i s return b e c a u s e Ch'ang-chou was i n maintaining At t h i s nine years likely o l d , and he most mediately, and Y a n g spent instructions. t o engage ficial. During references lighted granted time located i n resigned the this he was only capital transfer, forty- i n o r d e r t o en- t h e government d i d n o t a g r e e the next He had o f money d u r i n g h i s y e a r s ford , a t h e government t o g i v e h i m t h e p o s i t i o n he d e s i r e d . However, further governor- o f K i a n g s i and a l s o contacts with not immediately he p u t i n h i s r e s i g n a t i o n . courage that h i s Chang-chou t o C h ' a n g - c h o u ^ -^-j advanced p r o v i n c e Y a n g was retire t o h a v e been e q u a l l y t o a poem he w r o t e s h o r t l y be t r a n s f e r r e d f r o m in his o f Chang-chou by a d e s i r e t o t o C h i - s h u i , v a r i o u s f r i e n d s had recommended ship suddenly to t h i s two y e a r s earned at Chi-shui waiting a fairly i n the c a p i t a l , s i z e a b l e amount and he c o u l d now a f - i n some o f t h e d e l i g h t s p r o p e r t h e two y e a r s to gardening B o a t , w h i c h he had of retirement, to a s c h o l a r o f there are frequent p r o j e c t s , and Yang was by a s m a l l l i b r a r y pavilion constructed called the f i r s t change im- particularly de- t h e Snow A n g l i n g year back i n C h i - s h u i : 46 I Sleep Exhausted a t Snow A n g l i n g Boat 3, I made a small study, which was shaped l i k e a boat, so I named i t Snow A n g l i n g Boat. reading there, I f e l l ly a breeze entered While I was a s l e e p from exhaustion. the door and s t i r r e d Sudden- up the over- whelming f r a g r a n c e of some plum f l o w e r s i n a vase. I was s t a r t l e d awake and wrote t h i s s h o r t poem. A s m a l l p a v i l i o n , b r i g h t window, I c l o s e the door h a l f way; Reading books, I f a l l a s l e e p , F o r no reason a t a l l , zzzzzzz, zzzzzzz. I'm d i s t u r b e d by these plum flowers, Who blow t h e i r perfume a t me on purpose and r u i n my sweet dreams. 15 ?4 This p e r i o d of l e i s u r e a l s o allowed Yang to continue h i s s t u d i e s of Ch'an Buddhism, which had occupied to h i s poetic writing. When he mailed a poem to an o l d f r i e n d who was s e r v i n g i n Kuang-tung, Yang wrote: l e f t me i t ' s been e x a c t l y three y e a r s . cuss poetry and expound on C h ' a n ? " ^ Yang Wan-li had s t a r t e d to completely of second p l a c e only "Since my f r i e n d With whom can I d i s Most s i g n i f i c a n t of a l l , r e j e c t the bookishness the s c h o l a r t r a d i t i o n , an a t t i t u d e which harmonized Ch'an t e n e t s : with Reading While r e a d i n g books, But w o r k i n g I don't tire of t o i l , t o o h a r d makes me t i r e d I'd best And t h e books s i t m e d i t a t i n g w i t h my When I f e e l And Books and I w i l l like suddenly it, and d i z z y . books; both f o r g e t words. a I open t h e p a g e s , I arrive a t the Spring I say I'm e n l i g h t e n e d , o f t h e Hundred Sages. b u t t h e r e n e v e r was any e n l i g h t e n - ment ; I speak no of mystery, mystery. When I f i n d All I feel but from the b e g i n n i n g there's been D something i s total that harmonizes w i t h my mind, delight. Who i s i t t h a t makes t h i s p l e a s u r e ? It i s neither I n o r i s i t Heaven. I l a u g h a t m y s e l f , I ' v e n e v e r been I throw t h e book down a t t h e f o o t D e s p i t e Yang W a n - l i ' s new f o u n d right; o f my pillow!^ e n l i g h t e n m e n t , he was rapidly becoming d e p r e s s e d by t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s delay i n con- firming h i m i n h i s new p o s t , and a s t h e y e a r 1176 came t o a n end he w r o t e : A Rainy Night It's late i n t h e y e a r , so how c a n I l a c k My poem c o m p l e t e , The fireflys' I just lights emotions? chant i t a l o n e . are cold and t u r n i n g pale; 48 The autumn r a i n becomes h e a v i e r toward evening. Accompanying my o l d age, my poverty's s t i l l i n good health, So why would my wine want to keep back my sadness. The c h i r p i n g bugs accompany the f a l l i n g leaves; a They beat out a rhythm and s i n g a song f o r me.77 Yang's f r i e n d s i n the court must have p r e v a i l e d over h i s enemies, f o r i n the f o u r t h month of 1178, Yang s e t out from C h i - s h u i to become the governor of Ch'ang-chou. Just a f t e r h i s d e p a r t u r e Yang encountered d i f f i c u l t i e s which were symbolic of the problems he a n t i c i p a t e d i n h i s new position: On the tenth day of the f o u r t h month of t i n g - y u I went to my post a t P i - l i n g , and when t r a v e l i n g by boat was hampered by the wind, so I spent the n i g h t a t the mouth of the Chou-po fiiver. (Second poem of two) Ten m i l e s of r i v e r t r a v e l i s one day's voyage; . S i n c e l e a v i n g the mountains, i t seems the n o r t h wind's mad a t us. On the east window, the water's r e f l e c t i o n , on the west window, the moon; Together they shine on t h i s s l e e p l e s s man i n the b o a t . 7 8 Yang's premonitions were q u i t e c o r r e c t , because he was so busy w i t h paperwork and t r i f l i n g d u t i e s that he had p r a c t i c a l l y no time f o r w r i t i n g p o e t r y . Yang had f r e q u e n t l y worried about 49 these ally o c c a s i o n a l f a l l o w p e r i o d s i n h i s w r i t i n g and t h e g e n e r s m a l l q u a n t i t y o f h i s poems. chou g r e a t l y the exaggerated my p o s t , venue, a s s o c i a t i n g Yang W a n - l i literary already the realized reached great poet. o n l y w i t h r e d and b l a c k i n k . " ? a man caught Ch'an 9 i n a s p i r i t u a l and i n Ch'ang-chou. t h a t h i g h p o s i t i o n was n e v e r t h e age o f f i f t y He probably t o be h i s , and so Yang had by now, and a l t h o u g h he had p o e t r y , he s t i l l obviously d i d not qualify Tu Pu had d i e d when he was f i f t y - e i g h t . spiritual c r i s e s f r e q u e n t l y l e a d t o sudden similar to the profound Never- o f 1178, and s u d d e n n e s s , was sudden e n l i g h t e n m e n t of a monk: On New Y e a r s and lacking day. Suddenly then very writing and Day o f wu-hsUt (1178) I was on v a c a t i o n , official they vious I wrote poetry I was a s i f e n l i g h t e n e d joyful. brush business, while I tried I orally came g u s h i n g grinding.® 0 having my on t h i s I was son h o l d the composed f o r t h without . . . as "conver- and Yang was no e x c e p t i o n , f o r a t t h e b e g i n n i n g had a n e x p e r i e n c e , w h i c h i n i t s d e p t h closely the l o c a l r e - c l a i m t o fame w h i c h he had was h i s p o e t r y . theless, he us: " i n i n C h i n g - c h ' i , and a s s o o n a s l a w s u i t s and a r r a n g e d was s u r e l y w r i t t e n much f i n e sions," I read c r i s i s when he a r r i v e d only already a t h i s p r o b l e m , f o r he t e l l s summer I went t o my p o s i t i o n I reached H i s new p o s i t i o n i n Ch'ang- s e v e r a l poems, any o f t h e p r e - , 50 Yang W a n - l i had e x p e r i e n c e d a p r o f o u n d poetic c r e a t i v i t y , f o r In the s i n g l e y e a r poems t h a n he had i n t h e l a s t this great burst with local of w r i t i n g government. awakening o f h i s 1178, he w r o t e e i g h t y e a r s o f h i s l i f e , and came w h i l e he was b u s i l y I n a poem w r i t t e n engaged soon a f t e r h i s e n - l i g h t e n m e n t , Yang d e s c r i b e s t h e new ease w h i c h writing more he f e l t i n verse: Drinking One by one I r e c i t e Late t h e poems, one by one I copy I have a cup o f w i l d v e g e t a b l e s and some them; mountain dainties, too. The s p r i n g almost doesn't brace this man's drunkeness fti When t h e moon a r r i v e s Yang W a n - l i ' s a t the t i p top branch poetic of t h e plums. e n l i g h t e n m e n t had b e e n p r e c e d e d much g r e a t e r a w a r e n e s s o f Oh'an, a s we have a l r e a d y s e e n . though i t would spiritual level was o n l y p a r t be h a z a r d o u s i n 1178, of a deeper Al- t o make a n e s t i m a t e o f Yang's i t seems t h a t h i s p o e t i c spiritual d o e s n o t i n f o r m us d e f i n i t e l y by a enlightenment. enlightenment Though he o f a sudden a w a k e n i n g i n t h e Buddhist s e n s e , a poem he w r o t e i n t h e same y e a r d e s c r i b e s a mystical experience of the Buddhist variety: While on V a c a t i o n , I Read Pavilion Since on a C l e a r I brought A y e a r has My But If my c h i l d r e n are Formerly I was really bad, of joy. sick, surely crying. sighing I was never full; t h i s autumn i t ' s n o t h u n g e r t h a t b o t h e r s I n mc.rning And poor, get Chlng-ch'l, passed. are always devoid s e r v a n t s don't Then my But f a m i l y to govern residence isn't feelings Planting Morning a l r e a d y suddenly official my my Books i n A b u n d a n t I get up w i t h a book i n my climb to the p a v i l i o n Traces o f dew, Winds and Suddenly Can't s t a r s and a i r , no I feel stand sleeve, to enjoy moon s t i l l remain; old sick robes of through body linen. How c o u l d I get The m o r n i n g c o o l n e s s i s what I t r e a s u r e ! yesterday's White b i r d s f a r o f f l o o k l i k e poets like The t r e e s t u r n s my chanting. Fragrance o f l o t u s e s i c e s my Suddenly, where have h a p p i n e s s My body, t o o , ' d i s a p p e a r s My c h i l d r e n don't heat? butterflies; B l a c k l o c u s t s hum c o l o r of pine myself. windows o r s h u t t e r s . my these quickly me. spirit t o snow; gall. and sorrow gone? completely. understand anything, Op For they call me t o come home and eat b r e a k f a s t . 52 The " o l d , s i c k body" o f w h i c h Yang s p e a k s the B u d d h i s t s say In a flash scends s u f f e r s f r o m o l d age, o f i n t u i t i o n Yang l e a v e s t h i s the d u a l i t y between h a p p i n e s s and Yang's c h i l d r e n ment t o a t t e n d fast, that t o more p r a c t i c a l m a t t e r s such as government, and h i s worldly body death. b e h i n d and of m a t t e r s such as enlighten- eating q u e s t s were l i m i t e d a poem he w r o t e shortly were s t i l l tran- sorrow. caring f o r his family problems which s i c k n e s s , and him from h i s s t a t e suggests that h i s s p i r i t u a l practical the calling i s t h e body break- by more by w o r k i n g f o r afterward hints f a r f r o m an ideal solution: My How could food But my Cries i n Want o f Pood I I g n o r e o u r emperor's k i n d n e s s g i v i n g and young Morning Son warmth? a s o n , used a f t e r morning to p o v e r t y , i s always I h e a r him J u s t when t h e c o o k i n g g r a i n Nevertheless, starving. pursuing. i s almost done! 0 8 ^ as t h e f o o t n o t e shows, t h e l a s t In f a c t f o r t h e Ch'an B u d d h i s t t r u e ment c o n s i s t s i n the r e a l i z a t i o n identical that and as the l i f e and, was the l i f e that The i n d e e d , o f most o t h e r C h i n e s e the legendary f i g u r e illusion of the o r d i n a r y of the e n l i g h t e n e d . 1 3 crying poem s u g g e s t s t h e d r e a m - l i k e n a t u r e o f t h e o f f i c i a l was us ideal and world line career reality are i s t h e same o f t h e Ch'an a rich Yang enlighten- s c h o o l s of B u d d h i s t of V i m a l a k i r t i , of the merchant school thought who 53 lived fully i n the world understanding of the Buddhist of Buddha, who engaged It was a t a b o u t t h i s the truth o f a c t i o n and y e t p o s s e s s e d of this d o c t r i n e than p e r i o d i n Yang's l i f e when he r e a l i z e d Vimalakirtl i n my b u s i n e s s , Using To A In t h e wind send ideal: collection I naturally of poetry, have leisure. bird the green mountain. one o r two v o l u m e s ; My l i b r a r y , three When I f e e l like Yet say I'm i n t h e w o r l d leisure, work, the white calling o r f o u r rooms. i t , I can w r i t e Yang's c o n d i t i o n h i s l e i s u r e his Holidays I bother a letter I still t h e monk d i s c i p l e s 8 t h e h o l i d a y s I'm n o t w i t h o u t Yet richer i n c o n s t a n t m e d i t a t i o n and f a s t i n g . ^ Approaching In a poetry, of d u s t ! 8 5 i s h i s b u s i n e s s and h i s b u s i n e s s , and he i s b o t h w i t h i n and o u t s i d e o f t h e w o r l d o f dust. In the f i r s t Intendant tung culty sf- V j » J .Jk- . He l e f t "At t h i s of w r i t i n g time, poetry Immediately 8 6 I d i d not f e e l very and an a d - not only d i d I n o t f e e l but also of being a governor." o f Kuang- Ch'ang-chou w i t h both h i s accomplishments as a poet ministrator: ficulty was a p p o i n t e d f o r E v e r Normal G r a n a r i e s , T e a , and S a l t province/^ satisfied month o f 1179 Y a n g W a n - l i the d i f - the d i f f i - However, Yang d i d n o t s e t o u t f o r K u a n g - t u n g , f o r he w i s h e d t o r e t u r n home first, 54 and so i n t h e t h i r d Chi-shui. Fan On t h e way Ch'eng-ta, Kiang-su fertile month he who he was stopped living province at this period o v e r two to v i s i t i n the time. f o r Yang and hundred began a l e i s u r e l y The within poems, w h i c h he journey b a c k to his friend, the city o f Suchow i n trip w e s t was less later an extremely t h a n a y e a r he sent to Fan poet wrote f o r the poet's approval. Sometime i n t h e e a r l y remained f o r the r e s t continuously. for on after t h e New Years's perilous number o f s t a g e s by passed any Yet not able to stay i d l e celebrations journey gorges of 1 1 8 0 , to pass on h i s way he writing f o r long, Yang s e t south t o Canton. l a n d , Y a n g had dangerous r i v e r Having home where o f t h e y e a r e n j o y i n g h i m s e l f and However, he was t h e l o n g and highly summer Y a n g a r r i v e d forth Besides through a series a of south; a l l the dangerous r a p i d s , I can't stand more; suddenly I am startled by sheer c l i f f s , azure, precipitous. Undying thousand year old trees B r u s h i n g a g a i n s t the r a c i n g lakes. not T'ang t i m e s , Yang f e l t alien world: c u r r e n t s of thousand yard 8 7 A l t h o u g h K u a n g - t u n g was in h a n g u p s i d e down, so t e r r i f y i n g t h a t he had a p l a c e as e n t e r e d a new i t had and been somewhat 5 5 Passing In the the c r i e s single not a come h e r e , southerner, so what can bemoan h i s f a t e in o f Sung i n t e l l e c t u a l s , a manner t y p i c a l to explore turn even t h e i r h e a r t s a r e s o u t h , Yang d i d n o t c l i m a t e and boat a I n c o n t r a s t t o most T'ang p o e t s who out reed of p a r t r i d g e s , the mountain peaks When s o u t h e r n e r s I'm our horizontal. greener, But ( F i f t h poem o f s i x ) shadow o f a b a n y a n t r e e , lies Midst Chen-yang Gorge the unusual I do? 8 8 served i n the upon a r r i v a l he broken; deep i n Canton, immediately n a t u r a l phenomena o f t h e set tropical utilize t h i s new material f o r h i s poetry. t h e most d e l i g h t f u l products of Kuang-tung Is the l i c h e e , One of and j u d g i n g by t h e number o f poems Y a n g w r o t e a b o u t t h i s f r u i t , considered e a t i n g i t t o be On spot Then suddenly purple While How of the h i g h p o i n t s of h i s t h e E i g h t h o f t h e F o u r t h Month I E a t New A little Its one of r o u g e d y e s i t s stems' red covers j a d e bones a r e a s i t s snow w h i t e could I bear Still i t s green flesh But touching this i n t h e noon icy pellet i t s f l a v o r a l o n g w i t h wine i s hard I fear their to p i e c e s ! ! sweet c h i l l 8 9 a s l e n d e r as a c l o v e , i s cool T h i s o l d g l u t t o n wants t o e a t Lichees completely. oh my to t h r e e hundred will f r e e z e my he visit: edges, robe and heat. palm?** forget! lichees, intestines 56 Yang's p e a c e f u l c a r e e r a s a p r o v i n c i a l d i s t u r b e d , f o r i n 1181 u n d e r t h e command h i s a r e a was i n v a d e d official 90 of a bandit g o v e r n m e n t f o r c e s t h e r e , he marched these years largely t h e r e were numerous p o p u l a r south. defence and t h e t r i b u t e much aware o f t h e e x p l o s i v e s i t u a t i o n totally faithful to the c e n t r a l h i s new p o s t a s J u d i c i a l with in charge seen, Yang h i m s e l f which e x i s t e d i n and a l t h o u g h he was g o v e r n m e n t , he must h a v e a c Intendant o f Kuang-tung ^ considerable trepidation, of suppressing government expenses f o r n a t i o n - to the Chin T a r t a r s . c o u n t r y s i d e , a s we h a v e a l r e a d y cepted During due t o t h e e x c e s s i v e t a x a t i o n o f t h e c e n t r a l was v e r y the clashing u p r i s i n g s i n the south, w h i c h was n e c e s s i t a t e d by t h e huge m i l i t a r y al soon by r e b e l f o r c e s S h e n ' s u p r i s i n g had begun i n C h ' a o - c h o u , b u t a f t e r with was the r e v o l t . ji f o r he was now I t i s worth n o t i n g that two o f t h e o t h e r most famous p o e t s of the p e r i o d , Hsin Ch'i-chi and P a n C h ' e n g - t a had t o engage i n s i m i l a r d i s t a s t e f u l military operations against l o c a l general d i s l i k e can easily of w a r f a r e understand written while bandits. When we t a k e c u r r e n t among most Sung l i t e r a t i , Yang's s e n t i m e n t s engaging i n t o mind t h e i n the hazardous expressed journeys i n a poem during the campaign: A Bamboo B r a n c h Song o f Gorge M o u n t a i n When t o r t o i s e s and f i s h reach here, they Monastery always a turn .back; Not only tortoises and f i s h , even t h e c r a b s a r e w o r r i e d I we 57 Then why d o e s t h i s p o e t make l i g h t He goes t o S h a o - c h o u t o c l a s h w i t h against s a n d b a n k s and smash rocks The h a r d s h i p s his of h i s o l d l i f e ? of the m i l i t a r y campaign r e m i n d e d Yang o f former hardships as a youth: • When y o u n g I I was p o o r and l o w l y ; d i d n ' t have l a n d W i t h my w r i t i n g And • • b i g enough b r u s h plow I t i l l e d I paper my c r i e s • • o f h u n g e r c o u l d n ' t be h e a r d , was so used t o h u n g e r , I j u s t d i d n ' t c r y . I have been r a c i n g What h a s a l l t h i s swiftly toil My h a i r h a s t u r n e d And f o rthirty w h i t e by f o l l o w i n g my f a c e h a s b l a c k e n e d My l i f e i s as f r a g i l e V a s t waves w h i r l If our single i s preserved, What c a n t h e power o f man • If we m i g h t s u s p e c t a good d e a l roads, leaf Rapids; of s i l k . of a boat; upon gods and s p i r i t s . i t will be by a c c i d e n t ; accomplish?^ 2 • we were n o t f a m i l i a r w i t h Yang's life, Yet • all? f r o m wind and snow. as a strand c r y t o heaven and c a l l my l i f e years; and l a b o r g o t me a f t e r As n i g h t a p p r o a c h e s I'm a t W h i t e Sand I fields, I drew b l a c k w a t e r f r o m my p o o l o f i n k . • If t o s e t up a n a w l . usual t h a t he i s o n l y optimistic o u t l o o k on engaging i n s e l f - p i t y . o f h i s f r u s t r a t i o n was no d o u b t due t o a feel- 58 ing t h a t he was now i n t h e same c a t e g o r y had d e c l a r e d a n enemy o f t h e p e o p l e His Confucian background ment t h a t had a p p o i n t e d tory officials i n his earlier writings. r e q u i r e d him t o serve the govern- i n a poem he w r o t e o n l y a few months t h e one a b o v e : The I n my l i f e But journey How am I d i f f e r e n t Do I t i r e O l d Road I ' v e grown t i r e d on t h i s of traveling I'm so happy from of idleness, When I am engaged other take by road, I couldn't refuse. men, joy i n d r i v i n g myself i n traveling on t h e k i n g ' s on? business, F o r g e t t i n g my body, how c a n I be s e l f - c o n s c i o u s ? B a n d i t s f r o m F u k i e n h a v e e n t e r e d my It i s important allowed that these The people c r e e p i n g v i n e s n o t be their c a p s s h o o t up; cherish feelings f o r requiting campaign l a s t e d t h e state.93 o n l y a few months, and Yang was s u c c e s s f u l i n r o u t i n g the r e b e l armies. fight department; t o grow. O f f i c i a l s a r e so a n g e r e d And he h i m t o h i s p o s t , and Yang's c o n t r a d i c - e m o t i o n s c a n be s e e n after as those drew t o a c l o s e Yang w r o t e : totally Shortly before the 59 I Send Out a Command t o Summon t h e S o l d i e r s o f A l l t h e Commanderies The F u k i e n b a n d i t s l e e r e d Yet a t Kuang-tung by m o r n i n g t h e s o u t h e r n s o l d i e r s had a l l gone Our a r m i e s ' c r y s h a k e s t h e c l i f f s Our i n the e v e n i n g , b a n n e r s ' shadows d e l i g h t east. and v a l l e y s ; i n the f r o s t y T h o s e l e o p a r d s and t i g e r s f l o c k e d a wind. together from all quarters, B u t t h e S p e a r Comet was c l e a r e d As f o r i n s i g n i f i c a n t Our superficial In s p i t e while his He campaigns, h i s v i c t o r y Yang was q u i c k l y intending recalled f o r service t o s t o p a t h i s home i n K i a n g s i Yang's refuse three years. heard of i n the cen- back t o on t h e way. the expected three than a f t e r h i s f a t h e r ' s death. post offered stopped a l l l i t e r a r y After his father's isolated h i m a s would activity f o r the d e a t h Yang had w r i t t e n q u i t e a number o f poems and even t a k e n s h o r t Now he r e m a i n e d felt o b s e r v a t i o n o f h i s mother's the o f f i c i a l c u s t o m a r y , b u t he a l s o Chi-shui. A b e c a u s e i n t h e s e v e n t h month o f was much s t r i c t e r N o t o n l y d i d Yang next When t h e emperor h i s mother d i e d , and he now began mourning p e r i o d 1 5 was o f i m m e d i a t e and a t t h e end o f 1181, he headed y e a r s ' mourning p e r i o d . be career. never reached the c a p i t a l , 1182, reporting.9 o f w h a t e v e r m i s g i v i n g s Yang m i g h t h a v e government, Hang-chou, one l a u g h . them, i s hardly worth to h i sp o l i t i c a l exploits, tral merit on t h e m i l i t a r y advantage rats like away w i t h trips away f r o m a t home and d i d n o t e v e n 60 engage In correspondence difficult to account with h i s friends. I t seems somewhat f o r Yang's g r e a t e r s t r i c t n e s s of b e h a v i o r a f t e r h i s m o t h e r ' s d e a t h , f o r he s p o k e o f h i s f a t h e r much more frequently now i n h i s v e r s e than h i s mother. a relatively play famous a g r e a t e r degree scure man, and of f i l i a l P o s s i b l y , Yang society piety expected t h a n d u r i n g h i s more 1184 Yang's m o u r n i n g came t o a n end, and e l e v e n t h month he was appointed A s s i s t a n t i n t h e new p o s t was t o send w h i c h had r e c e n t l y scholars digies, shaken the c a p i t a l . natural disasters government was and was such e v e n t s as a s i g n date of heaven. criticize that Hence, first to an Although i n Sung t i m e s d i d n o t b e l i e v e the c e n t r a l of the Minimportant up a m e m o r i a l i n t h e month o f 1185 by r e q u e s t o f t h e emperor due to ob- i n the Officer His ened him t o d i s - youth. In act was afraid earthquake most enlight- i n omens and extremely that fifth sensitive t h e p e o p l e would the i m p e r i a l house had l o s t t h e emperor u s u a l l y h i s f a u l t s when some d i s a s t e r requested pro- to take t h e manofficials occurred i n order to show h i s c o n c e r n f o r t h e p e o p l e ' s w e l f a r e and w i l l i n g n e s s t o correct any p e r s o n a l s h o r t c o m i n g s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r heaven's anger. In h i s m e m o r i a l Yang warned government was too s h o u l d renew t h e emperor t h a t i t shostilities t h e Sung with the Chin before i t late: N o r t h and S o u t h have been a t p e a c e f o r more t h a n years. But i f one day t h e y out o f f r e l a t i o n s , thirty the f e e l - 61 ings of the barbarians w i l l will say: five chiefs fighting calamity Han "They a r e s u f f e r i n g f r o m f o r the throne as the Hsiung-nu t o j u d g e , and some the calamity of or from when t r o u b l e d by t h e J o u - I f , however, none o f t h e s e t h i n g s come a some w i l l s a y , "They w i l l s a y , "They w i l l they t h e same by t h e E a s t e r n o r t h e N o r t h e r n Wei when d i s t r e s s e d jan." It be h a r d really not dare fear i s rumored fear u s , " and o t h e r s to plot that they a r e r e p a i r i n g are conscripting soldiers t h e p e o p l e and i n c r e a s i n g d i s p a t c h c a v a l r y and stables. springs. very tight, impressed ward he was promoted £ slightly and their our spies are not preparedness Tsung and h i s p a c i f i s t D e s p i t e Yang's f u t i l e nel so t h a t f o r greater military by H s i a o were d u l y secretive and made new. to enter.95 Yang's c a l l nored and b u i l d - registering wells where t h e y a r e r e p a i r e d i n t e n t i o n s a r e extremely restrictions able They a r e a l s o from They a p p r o p r i a t e s e a - g o i n g v e s s e l s and move them i n l a n d Their canals M o r e o v e r , t o t h e n o r t h and s o u t h o f b the Y e l l o w R i v e r they ing horse Do a g a i n s t us? t h e w a l l s and moats o f P i e n - c h i n g and o p e n i n g in Hai-chou. will a g a i n s t us." us and d a r e n o t p l o t i n the s t r e e t s true, call was t o t a l l y i g - court. t o arms t h e p r o p e r authorities by t h e p o e t ' s p a t r i o t i s m and; soon to O f f i c e Chief of the M i n i s t r y afterof Person- I n t h i s p o s i t i o n he managed t o e x e r t a greater influence on p o l i c y . A c c o r d i n g t o Yang's 62 biography, s h o r t l y a f t e r Yang had been promoted, the prime m i n i s t e r Wang Huai j£. 3^ asked Yang: "What i s the most im- p o r t a n t t h i n g w i t h which a prime m i n i s t e r ought to concern himself?" In t r u e Confucian f a s h i o n Yang i s supposed to have an- swered: "Talented men!"96 When Wang pressed Yang f u r t h e r about which i n d i v i d u a l s were most t a l e n t e d , Yang submitted a list of s i x t y names, which i s s t i l l preserved i n h i s works. it was In a d d i t i o n to naming o l d f r i e n d s such as Hsiao of Te-tsao, i s q u i t e i n t e r e s t i n g to note that the f i r s t name on the Chu H s l J ^ -Jj^ , the famous neo-Confucian Although Yang and did complete Chu were not extremely exchange a few poems, and Chang Chtin's son Chang S h i h . neo-Confucian philosopher.97 close friends, Chu h i m s e l f was list they a very good f r i e n d Yang had been i n t e r e s t e d i n thought f o r some years,98 but the main reason he recommended Chu H s i f o r h i g h p o s i t i o n was the Sung p h i l o s o p h e r ' s Impeccable standard of conduct and p o s s i b l y more important, Chu's o p p o s i t i o n to southern Sung p a c i f i s m . In 1186 Yang Wan-li was promoted f o u r times, and when he obtained the p o s i t i o n of Reader i n Waiting to the Crown P r i n c e $~ * the p u r p l e f i s h h e w a s sash. n o n o r e d He was by the emperor p r e s e n t i n g him now on reasonably i n t i m a t e terms w i t h the i m p e r i a l f a m i l y and h i g h o f f i c i a l s , and we are assured t h a t the crown p r i n c e was d e l i g h t e d when Yang read to him from the memorials of the famous T'ang prose s t y l i s t Lu Chlh | ^ ^ . A c t u a l l y , Yang's a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h the upper c r u s t of Sung so-r c l e t y had an extremely d e t r i m e n t a l e f f e c t on h i s p o e t r y . was now He away from the n a t u r a l surroundings which were the usual m a t e r i a l of h i s v e r s e , and while Yang was i n the c a p i t a l , he wrote a host of extremely insipid poems c e l e b r a t i n g v a r i o u s court events o r mourning the demise of c e r t a i n h i g h function- aries . We could a l m o s t a c c u s e Yang o f s y c o p h a n c y i n some o f t h e s e poems, a l t h o u g h , o f c o u r s e , s u c h h a c k work was of officials do not close to the i m p e r i a l f a m i l y . e x p r e s s Yang's t r u e f e e l i n g s i n g work composed a t t h i s Written the on P o r t r a i t Grand Recorded Insignia" Onwards. S p r i n g days can be s u c h poems seen from the follow- time: o f t h e Duke o f C h ' l a p E m p r e s s , Shown t o me the E n t i r e That expected by Ts'ao Welcoming Chung-pen; I P a i n t i n g from "Ordering the I m p e r i a l a are long i n f r o n t of Palace of V i r t u e and Longevity;** When f l o w e r s b l o o m i n s i d e fragrant, The Grand too. Sovereign nourishes h i s s p i r i t Empyrean, So men the p a l a c e , the o u t s i d e i s up i n the Jade 0 o f t h e c a p i t a l have n o t gazed on h i s p u r e light a long time. T h i s morning insignia we suddenly One shout from the imperial and yellow tent chariots heaven. o f "Make way!" Ice melts i n the Heavenly upper them p u t t i n g i n order, K i n g f i s h e r f l o w e r banners descend see stories. and a myriad Street, but men look on; snow r e m a i n s on Prom t h e n o r t h comes y e t a n o t h e r r e d Eight It phoenix bells, parasol, t h r e e c o u r s e r s , and g o l d e n hub seems t h e M o t h e r o f J a s p e r P o o l i s i n t h i s With her phoenix and The slippers, carriage** robes cut from cloud mist. Grand S o v e r e i g n gazes a t h e r , h i s heavenly countenance beaming; I n t h e s p r i n g wind flowers This rosy caps. returning o f Grand Empress hundred Tz'u-ning's s o n a s t h e y were b e f o r e , no equal i n a ages. c l o u d s and damp; the chariot; thousand Arboreal states, dance. i s a portrait M o t h e r and of myriad frontier snows, t h e b a n n e r s ' feet e I m p e r i a l w i l l o w s and p a l a c e plums, t h e i r cold shadows sparse. All a l o n g , t h e T z ' u - n i n g Empress has sandy She wastes; begged to geese trust. What man b e e n c u t o f f by t o send a l e t t e r , but geese are hard f i s t h i s who welcomes back her b l a c k steed chariot? . A descendant Ts'ao Originally But of the M a r t i a l Emperor o f Wei, General Hsfln.S t h e g e n e r a l was only a broad-robed s u d d e n l y h e a v i n g h i s s h o u l d e r s , he drew a stone bow. scholar, five 65 W i t h o n l y a s a l u t e t o t h e Khan, who He brought back, h e r as b r e a k i n g a His merit for And He f o l l o w s t h e Red waxing h i s p a i r of t o the Don't you see get out I tell you the a simple their pacifist poem had taken done, he Ch'in f a m i l y place current circumstances. satire o f Kao on Kao Tsung and by such The Tsung's f i l i a l forty-three to p u b l i s h poem seems t o piety, but Tsung's h y p o c r i t i c a l even s u g g e s t s time, and Hsiao t h a t Kao Kao c o u r t was i t is concern Tsung Tsung was was Tsung would a c c u s a t i o n s a g a i n s t h i s own s i n i s t e r deeds of Ch'in K u e i , 1187 north too. appeasement p a r t y a t the the the j i n the offended n i r e s p o n s i b l e f o r Yfleh P e l ' s d e a t h . admit Immortal, o f S o u t h M o u n t a i n and i n r e t i r e m e n t a t the In Pine o f t h e way?3 celebration a bitter been d e e p l y The sport l a n g would have been v e r y f o o l i s h f o r h i s f a t h e r Hui merely only QQ y events poem u n d e r t h e directly i t was the Prime M i n i s t e r of the glaring! earlier, actually easily t h a t when Ylieh P e l ' s work was didn't Although be south boots. Mountain, k his but w i t h a l a u g h he is as him, of North years carriage, boy, branch. covers a l l the world, floats But compassionate seemed a s m a l l have father. certainly not about to the very architect of policies. t h e r e was a s e r i o u s drought, and the emperor r e - 66 quested second In important memorial of so Yang W a n - l i s i n c e h i s appointment t h i s work, he d i d n o t d i s c u s s m i l i t a r y trated was advice from h i s o f f i c i a l s , more on i n t e r n a l caused a f f a i r s but passage yang Yang s t a t e d between h e a v e n and earth: p e r v e r s e v a p o r then? p e o p l e ' s s i g h s i s extremely minute t o be h e a r d that The sound but i t is by a u g u s t H e a v e n . The sufficient to r e a c h the e x a l t e d r e a s o n why such a p e r v e r s e vapor has t h e v a p o r s between h e a v e n and When someone l o v e s God. and This been f o r m e d ably because w a r d s and sighs? t h e g r a c e f r o m above d o e s the f e e l i n g s from and e a r t h have been c u t the people l i k e Your s u c h t h i n g s a s h a t r e d and are i s the Highness c a r e s f o r t h e p e o p l e l i k e Y o u r H i g h n e s s , how t h e r e be of people's thoughts of h a t r e d a r e extremely h i d d e n but they off. concen- by a " p e r v e r s e v a p o r " w h i c h b l o c k e d up t h e sufficient why capital. drought But what i s t h i s the to the the the t h e y l n and policy. s e n t up can I t i s prob- n o t f l o w down- below do n o t p e n e t r a t e wards . . . Above t h e r e i s a p r i n c e who tion, y e t t h e p e o p l e do n o t r e c e i v e h i s t r u e k i n d n e s s . Above t h e r e i s a p r i n c e who the lightens up- examines p u n i s h m e n t s , p e o p l e do n o t o b t a i n h i s deep love. taxa- but 1 0 0 Y a n g c o n t i n u e s t o say t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e emperor r e m i t s t a x e s and makes l a w s cause the to b e n e f i t of c o r r u p t t h e p e o p l e , a l l i s t o no officials. emperor h i m s e l f avail Yang d i d n o t d a r e d i r e c t l y i n s u c h d o c u m e n t s , b u t a s we beattack have seen i n the poem above, he was f u l l y aware of the h y p o c r i s y p e r i a l family 67 of the im- itself. In the t e n t h month of 1187 Yang was promoted to V i c e d i r e c t o r of the Imperial Library^' J£ -|| , a post In which he was i n charge of documents f o r that branch of the government. In the same month the r e t i r e d whom Yang despised emperor Kao Tsung, so much, passed away, and s i n c e Hsiao Tsung wished t o observe the three year mourning p e r i o d , he sent down a decree which i n e f f e c t handed over power to the Crown P r i n c e f o r the d u r a t i o n . sing A f f a i r s ^ was ^> ^ to the decree a H a l l f o r Discus- was s e t up, i n which the Crown P r i n c e to d e c i d e a l l p o l i t i c a l matters i n the presence of the o f f i c i a l s already nized and According s e r v i n g i n the c o u r t . recog- the i n e p t i t u d e of the f u t u r e emperor Kuang Tsung protested required ^ s t r o n g l y that the urgency of n a t i o n a l a f f a i r s the presence of Hsiao Tsung i n s t a t e d e c i s i o n s . Yang's p r o t e s t s were ignored, post Yang probably When he attempted to r e s i g n from h i s but to no a v a i l . As court the y e a r 1188 wore on Yang became f u r t h e r embroiled i n strife. In the t h i r d month of the year a H a n - l i n Academy s c h o l a r Hung M a i ^ suggested that a number of dead t a r y and p o l i t i c a l f i g u r e s who had l i v e d d u r i n g Kao Tsung should the temple of the deceased emperor. mili- the r e i g n of be allowed to enjoy s a c r i f i c i a l o f f e r i n g s i n When Yang saw t h a t h i s master Chang ChQh was not Included i n the l i s t came outraged and immediately up a memorial a t t a c k i n g Hung Mai sent f o r h i s a r b i t r a r y and d i c t a t o r i a l conduct. of names, he be- Even worse, Yang Wan-li b l u n t l y s a i d that Hung Mai's a c t i o n s were no d i f - 68 ferent from " c a l l i n g particularly serious f o r not c h a r a c t e r but Prince and vellian It also Hsiao ascertain sented When Chao. heir, the l o y a l t y \]q Kao^Jj said judged undependable, nate them. In a d d i t i o n rightful Yang had h i s t o r i a n s have The t o have judged emperor H s i a o said: and Chao q u i c k l y that that Hsiao Tsung Chao p r e a horse, u n h e a l t h y p l a c e as Hai-nan, not a animal horse proceeded Hung M a i to assassi to the n o t o r i o u s t h e Crown P r i n c e was not Tsung Chinese was as e v i l where he N e v e r t h e l e s s , the Sung d y n a s t y banishment and Tsung was supposed have more for?" civilized, a grudging appreciation Chtin would t h e main s t r u g g l e was enjoy o f d i s s e n s i o n was anti-war parties not over whether the I m p e r i a l s a c r i f i c e s , the c o n t i n u i n g f i g h t i n the c o u r t . and an d i e of Yang's a u d a c i t y . Actually, 1 0 2 ex- to such would h o p e f u l l y malaria. t o have had is t a k e me Yang c o u l d or at l e a s t as the be. f l e w i n t o a r a g e .and of Chinese h i s t o r y i s said him. of r u l e r does W a n - l i t h e e x e c u t i o n e r ' s axe Hsiao a ruse to i t was C h ' i n S h i h Huang t o "What k i n d I n a l e s s humane age that the throne i n n a s t a g and to comparing suggested s u c c e s s o r and o to put a l l t h e c o u r t i e r s what t h e t h e a n i m a l was were Chao Kao, said Crown plotted c o u r t i e r s around t h e p r i n c e w i t h a s t a g and Those who jt- Mai's , t h e MachlaT he d e c i d e d t o u t i l i z e of the whereupon t h e p r i n c e a s k e d pected s l a n d e r e d both the prime m i n i s t e r of the Ch'in dynasty of the r i g h t f u l was. o n l y d i d i t defame Hung indirectly Tsung. T h i s a c c u a s a t i o n was 1 0 1 son o f C h ' i n S h i h Huang Jj> second place a stag a h o r s e . " the r e a l between t h e p r o - R e f u s i n g the s a c r i f i c e s Chang cause and to of 69 Chang Chlin was a blow to the p r e s t i g e of the advocates of m i l i t a r y a c t i o n a g a i n s t the Chin. Tsung h i m s e l f had i n i t i a t e d We must remember that Hsiao Chang Chlin s u n s u c c e s s f u l counter1 a t t a c k , and although i t s f a i l u r e f o r c e d the emperor i n t o the pacifist camp, he very l i k e l y held a s e c r e t a d m i r a t i o n f o r men l i k e Yang Wan-li. Thus, i n the f o u r t h month of 1188, Yang was appointed of Yun-chou £ | HJ governor near modern Kao-an yhj N i n southern K i a n g s i p r o v i n c e . Before we t r a c e the subsequent events i n Yang's p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r , we should say something about h i s p e r s o n a l l i f e c a p i t a l from 1184-88. i n the Although Yang spent much of h i s time a s s o c i a t i n g w i t h h i g h o f f i c i a l s and the I m p e r i a l f a m i l y , he a l s o renewed c o n t a c t s w i t h a number of o l d acquaintances and made new friendships. (1127-1194) dates from 1178, but the two poets do not seem to have been on very c l o s e terms u n t i l Yang's r e s i d e n c e i n the capital. They exchanged a l a r g e number of poems a t t h i s time, so one suspects that Yang was i n f l u e n c e d by Yu Mou's views on literature. U n f o r t u n a t e l y very few of Yu Mou's poems have been handed down to p o s t e r i t y , d e s p i t e l a t e r c r i t i c s r a t i n g him as one of the f o u r best poets of the southern Sung, so t h a t we have p r a c t i c a l l y no way to determine e x a c t l y what Yu's i n - f l u e n c e was. 03 1 Yang met another l i t e r a r y great d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , and Yang's l o n g a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h the f i e r y p a t r i o t poet Lu Yu l e f t an I n d e l i b l e impression on h i s v e r s e . The f i r s t poem Yang wrote to Lu Yu dates from 1186, although the two poets had c e r t a i n l y known one another much e a r l i e r . Yang's f r i e n d s h i p with Lu was much more dramatic than h i s r e l a t i o n w i t h Yu, as we see i n a poem w r i t t e n s h o r t l y a f t e r Yang and Lu renewed can their friendship: A Cloud and Dragon Song i n Pun Master-cloud Yang was And from Inky P o o l , of Lu a b Scholar-dragon Lu from In the C l o u d s . Heaven was Yu 0 j e a l o u s of t h e i r c l e v e r words, So she kept them a p a r t , never l e t t i n g them meet. We meet a g a i n suddenly i n Ch'ang-an I t must have been three thousand How Market; d years s i n c e we p a r t e d . many times have the Queen Mother's peach fallen? blossoms 6 5 The handle of the B i g D i p p e r i s r o t t e n , the M i l k y Way dry. The h a i r on our temples has turned to s i l k as white as snow; Two o l d men s t a r e a t each other, f a c e s red as cinnabar. I beg to ask: "Since our p a r t i n g , where have you gone?" "The Wei r i v e r f l o w s e a s t , but I have gone up west." Your golden s e a l b i g as a d i p p e r , how worth? now? sack l i k e a mountain, how of ending h i s c h a n t i n g ; only f e a r s no wind or moon i n the world. Don't you see that the Han Marquis Had many poems i n h A poet i s never a f r a i d He much cash i s i t 8 Your brocade it f of L e v e l F o r d * s c h o l a r caps and c h a r i o t awnings f l o a t i n g l i k e i n h i s eastern p a v i l i o n ? ^ clouds 71 And haven't you Had nobles and racing about? But now these seen a t the m i n i s t e r s surround When can And Grinding We'll even d e e r o r sheep c l i m b i n g t h e i r i t s bark i n t o The of dying "One verse! cup, t o go one And what m a t t e r s the already falls? tailor can belonged fortified creasingly mist. into now; no 0 travelers p and see p o s t s he m smoke and the Shang-ssu F e s t i v a l , one at cup once: more!"^ t h e fame o f my c a p i t a l , f o r Lu Tree; n i f Jade Mountain f a l l s poem we and k can weave c l o u d b r o c a d e t h e r e w i t h you cup, cares various local Yu yet. Who From the in mounds. the S u n - r i s e p a p e r and l o o m we Though i t ' s a l r e a d y I'm stars terraces s e a plums o f Lone Peak h a v e a l l opened have gone stars you^ w e ' l l chop up With the heavenly lines the ink-stone water i n t o water sickles, beat generals i n worship l i k e climbing their I c l i m b Mount L u w i t h t u r n our great too, there aren't pavilions the c l o u d s have d i s p e r s e d and scattered, And same t i m e over poetry t h a t Yang was only v i s i t e d was not? r t o me? "^ 10 not a b l e t o see Lu Hang-chou on h i s way h o l d i n g a t the to the pro-war f a c t i o n , h i s f o r m e r v i e w s and or time. Although h i s contact with political common i n h i s v e r s e f o r t h e n e x t dally to Yang Lu themes became i n few years. 72 One of the g r e a t e s t r e s u l t s of the many f r i e n d s h i p s Yang made or renewed d u r i n g these y e a r s was a g r e a t Increase i n the fame of h i s p o e t r y . H i s renown as a poet was a l s o helped a l o n g by the r e c o g n i t i o n he achieved i n the Kuang-tung m i l i t a r y cam- p a i g n s , and i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note that the f i r s t t i o n of works he had p r i n t e d was the Nan-hal Ohi pjr] collecify ^ or C o l l e c t i o n of the South Seas, which Yang wrote w h i l e a t Canton. Yang's works had c i r c u l a t e d among h i s f r i e n d s i n man- u s c r i p t form f o r a number of y e a r s , but he waited u n t i l u n t i l he had t h i s f i r s t collection printed. Obviously the r e - c e p t i o n was good, f o r i n 1187 Yang p u b l i s h e d the Chi ^ ' j ^ j[| 1186 Chlng-ch'1 w r i t t e n w h i l e he was governor of Ch'ang-chou and the H s l Kuei Chi i| the c a p i t a l to C h i - s h u i i n 1179. , which recorded h i s t r i p from In 1188 Yang f e l t sufficient- l y brave to p u b l i s h h i s more y o u t h f u l poems w r i t t e n between 1162 and 1177, which he e n t i t l e d Chiang Hu Chi £X ^ ^ or C o l l e c t i o n of R i v e r s and Lakes. Yang Wan-li d i v i d e d h i s v a r i - ous c o l l e c t i o n s a c c o r d i n g to d i s t i n c t p e r i o d s i n h i s p o l i t i c a l life, and he was very c a r e f u l to arrange the works i n s t r i c t c h r o n o l o g i c a l order, a p r a c t i c e which he never abandoned. The g r e a t c a u t i o n which he and h i s descendants used i n e d i t i n g h i s complete works i s l a r g e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the g e n e r a l l y c o n d i t i o n of the t e x t which s u r v i v e s . good A f t e r these f i r s t p r i n t e d e d i t i o n s came out, the demand f o r Yang Wan-li's poetry was s t r o n g enough to enable him to p u b l i s h a l l subsequent col- l e c t i o n s as soon as the poems were completed. When Yang Wan-li set out f o r Yun-chou i n 1188, he does not seem to have f e l t any p a r t i c u l a r d i s g r a c e , and i n f a c t , he 73 was deeply relieved. He i n t e n d e d t o r e t u r n home t o C h i - s h u i first, and h i s e x p e c t a t i o n s o f r e s t and r e l a x a t i o n a f t e r t h e hectic life him t o w r i t e : of the c a p i t a l Sleeping A single leaf boat inspired on t h e B o a t shakes a t Noon unsteadily; D a z e d , my w o n d e r f u l t h o u g h t s a r e p e n e t r a t i n g . I change i n t o a L a c q u e r And f l y into There Garden butterfly 3 the Great Locust P a l a c e . i s w i n e t o tempt and l e a d me on, But no t e a t o r o b o r a t t a c k me. All my l i f e So I haven't now I c a n s e t t l e As l a x e d , and he d i d n o t even the local and frequently period. enough, the account midst one c a n i m a g i n e , After arriving slept Yang's r e t u r n trip sights. was e x t r e m e l y r e - He renewed h i s i n t e r e s t s time. i n Ch'an B u d d h i s m compares h i m s e l f t o a B u d d h i s t monk d u r i n g rainbows to the c a p i t a l , Yang this wrote: O f f T s e n g Wu-yi t o Become a H i s t o r i a n race i n the water o f Lucky My home was t o t h e west o f t h e w a t e r , t i m e s we t h o u g h t ordered 1 0 5 i n Yttn-chou, Yang s p e n t much o f h i s t i m e e n j o y i n g Sending At the s p l a s h of o a r s ! r e a c h h i s new p o s t u n t i l w i n t e r When s e n d i n g o f f a f r i e n d Jade 1 3 of each carriages; Pattern yours Rlver; a to the east. o t h e r , and i m m e d i a t e l y 74 On a d j o i n i n g c o u c h e s we l i s t e n e d night's t o p i n e wind i n the rain. Meanwhile, as poor o f f i c i a l s , we s c a t t e r e d o u r s e p a r a t e way s; I was a s o u t h f l y i n g h o n k e r , y o u a n o r t h f l y i n g T h i s morning the post r i d e r k n o c k s on t h e w a t c h goose. tower gate: "There's I hear a guest, a guest, who's come t o s e e y o u ! " t h a t y o u a r e t a k i n g y o u r f a m i l y t o t h e emperor's capital; B e a t i n g drums, y o u s e t o f f on b o a t , travelling up t o heaven. Still y o u were a b l e t o go o u t o f y o u r way by s e v e r a l miles To come and v i s i t Two p o e t Midst t h i s monk i n h i s h e r m i t a g e immortals red peonies, purple reside i n the Imperial green Secretariat 1 3 moss, and t h e shadows o f myrtles. If they a s k y o u what t h i s As t h e day g e t s l a t e never of K i a n g s l . m o u n t a i n monk i s d o i n g : and o r i o l e s s i n g , he s l e e p s and wakes up! The p e a c e o f mind w h i c h Y a n g a c h i e v e d med up i n a poem he w r o t e shortly a t Yttn-chou after i s best sum- sending h i s f r i e n d o f f : 75 I R e s t a t Noon i n Ylin M o n a s t e r y I d o n ' t come t o Ylin M o n a s t e r y B u t whenever I come, i t ' s The wind And falls blows B o t h -my While The nice. from the f o r e s t ' s cap and sound often, always t h e bamboo r o o t s ' orioles so grass s a n d a l s , above and m a g p i e s , of the c i t y But i f you l i s t e n In d i s a r r a y . and left i s really quietly, tranches, and below, a r e right, not very cool, chatter. close, even d i s t a n t sounds c a n be heard. As I s i t on t h e s t o n e b e n c h , And t h e moss p a t h i s a s p u r e a s i f swept. I t r y to write But i t becomes warm, t h e word " s a d " i n t h e a i r , I've a l r e a d y forgotten i t s radical! What's more, I've even f o r g o t t e n So how could I still When s t r a n g e r s come t o t a l k for W a n - l i hoped the r e s t abdicated Yang emperor W a n - l i was Imperial Library t h e n i n t h month. itself, too l a z y affairs, to laugh! t h e w o r l d would but p o l i t i c a l l e a v e him called -Ja H s i a o Tsung o f t h e Crown P r i n c e , who Kuang T s u n g (1190-95)* S i x months back t o the c a p i t a l as D i r e c t o r H The f i r s t alone events a l t e r e d h i s I n t h e s e c o n d month o f 1189, the throne i n f a v o r came t h e new of worldly just that of h i s l i f e , plans f o r retirement. sadness remember o l d age? I want t o l a u g h , y e t I'm Yang a » and he a r r i v e d now be- later of the a t Hang-chou i n i m p o r t a n t a c t w h i c h Yang performed 76 upon r e a c h i n g in Kiangsl hsl Tap the c a p i t a l was p r i n t e d , and Yuan C h i 51 he enjoying considerable t o w h i c h he capital the returned i n 1188. The Empress L i v ^ p her h u s b a n d , and i n an sow dissension claiming other attempt to consolidate Tsung w i s h e d the incompetent, and decisions. Un- her his retired internal dissension was of the appointed d i d not court, capital on a l e n g t h y voyage. must e x p l a i n t h e d i p l o m a t i c Sung c o u r t and the Chin. need C h i n e s e and an- and To so he According the Chin Y e a r ' s Day and welcome and Yu-ch'ing^ and concerned. Sung s h o u l d to the was 5lJ>} t w e l f t h month t o to duties the i t was was congratulate new Chin, diplo- stipulated exchange a m b a s s a d o r s on New Yang's f u n c t i o n was Chin, leave southern t e r m s as f a r as ambassador f r o m the , who able terms of the Nevertheless, up the u n d e r s t a n d Yang's equal imperial birthdays. e n t e r t a i n the caught r e l a t i o n s between t h e T a r t a r s were on m a t i c p r o t o c o l was the father, Accompanying p e a c e t r e a t y a f t e r Chang Chun's campaigns a g a i n s t that her tried with t o be because i n Welcoming and Chin, the of power, she t o r e p l a c e h i s so„n f o r Yang W a n - l i , he t w e l f t h month, he we left heir. the the had b e t t e r than that between Kuang Tsung and that Hsiao Luckily in totally hardly now political situation t h a n when he emperor was d i s c r e t i o n was the A l t h o u g h Yang was a poet, the much t e n s e r written Chlang- o r C o l l e c t i o n of t e n t h month. new had t o h i s new a c t u a l l y made a l l p o l i t i c a l fortunately, to }%J d£ fame as was poems he wrote a p r e f a c e ya K i a n g s i Hermitage i n the t o have t h e to P'ei-man t o a r r i v e i n Hang-chou i n Kuang Tsung on the New Year. 77 Yang's m i s s i o n was e x t r e m e l y s m a l l e s t mistake o r unintended cuse f o r Chin m i l i t a r y for t h e Sung c o u r t . i n 1170. slight could actions or at least Yang's c l o s e f r i e n d , t a , had a h a r r o w i n g K'ai-feng sensitive, experience t h e p o e t F a n Ch'eng- to present f o r a change o f p r o t o c o l , t h e C h i n furiated by F a n ' s d i s r e g a r d his g r o u n d , and t h e C h i n the poet's p e t i t i o n , ing report on t h e s p o t . emperor f i n a l l y only expected t o meet t h e C h i n t h e H u a i R i v e r boundary northward crossed t h a t he came Fan bravely stood gave i n and r e c e i v e d r u l e r made a v e r y government. Y a n g d i d n o t have t o t r a v e l a private emperor was so i n - of normal procedures, but the Chin t o t h e Sung reprimand when he went on a m i s s i o n t o When F a n a t t e m p t e d to o r d e r i n g Fan executed even t h e be v i e w e d a s a n exa stiff petition close because threaten- 1 0 8 i n enemy t e r r i t o r y b u t was a m b a s s a d o r a f t e r he had between t h e two s t a t e s . crossed Yang's trip f r o m Hang-chou s t a r t e d o u t a u s p i c i o u s l y , and a s he t h e Y a n g t z e R i v e r he w r o t e : Crossing the Yangtze River a ( S e c o n d Poem o f Two) Heaven made t h i s n a t u r a l moat t o p r o t e c t t h e s k i e s o f It's equal t o Y a o - h a n , a p a s s where two c a n h o l d hundred. Wu; offa c T h i s t e n thousand m i l e silver r i v e r d r a i n s i n t o the jasper sea, And a p a i r of jade B a n n e r s and f l a g s pagodas o u t l i n e M e t a l on t h e o t h e r shore, Mountain. d Huai-nan i s c l o s e ; e b 78 Drums and of trumpets b l a r e midst f r o s t ; the On the R i v e r surface, journey across the the river, dynasties upon the Y a n g t z e R i v e r as of barbarian doing river be Y a n g had A navigated warned the i s just o f v a s t waves i n an but a Yang was the Chin poet c e l e b r a t i o n of a obviously j u s t as could w a r s h i p s , and right; instant.^ had the cross also we Sung government a b o u t the relied themselves Sung easily naval seen prepara- tions. When he passed Kua-chou o r M e l o n Passing Sad a t n i g h t f r o m wind Melon I s l a n d and I s l a n d Yang w r o t e : Market waves, I c a n ' t a get to peaceful, W i t h a few m e t a l gong, we're a t t h e strokes on the everything's sleep; A dawn c r o s s i n g , p u r e and at ease. river port; A single sail the Huai. Pi-li's horses full of f r o s t y are dead, not A-liang's tower has N o r t h and S o u t h have r e s t e d now, s u n l i g h t , our boat goes even t h e i r bones a r e c o l l a p s e d , now only wild up left; fields. t h e i r arms f o r t h i r t y was could have a l r e a d y Chin " pleasant southern so 1 0 C aware t h a t a " n a t u r a l moat" t o p r o t e c t invasions, that by wind the N o r t h - s o u t h P e r i o d from northern now. f o r the poem seems t o be southern also God, c r o s s a thousand a c r e s the north frontier. Many t h a n k s t o I a l l calm 0 years 1 3 how " 79 So mulberry ;t o Once a g a i n He r e f e r s patches heaven. there and wheat mounds grow a l l t h e way 1 1 0 i s a deceptive aura o f p e a c e a b o u t Yang's poem. t o the u n s u c c e s s f u l attempts of the Chin to cross the Y a n g t z e and c o n q u e r t h e Sung and r e m i n d s h i s r e a d e r has been peace f o r t h i r t y y e a r s severely and criticized t h e enemy. Sung c o m p l a c e n c y d u r i n g militia i t was c l e a r t h i s mock p e a c e , As t h e poet i n agricultural that h i s plans f o r t r a i n i n g had been c o m p l e t e l y passed there Y e t Yang had from the complete a b s o r p t i o n of the peasants pursuits, he with that a peasant ignored. the s t r a t e g i c bridge over the Yangtze wrote: Gazing Today But A f a r a s my B o a t P a s s e s Y a n g t z e t h e H u a i ' s bank i s c a l l e d i n olden times, southern domain. Bridge our northern 8 , frontier, t h e H u a i bank was s e t down a s 0 Nowhere i n t h i s l e v e l w a s t e i s t h e r e any r a m p a r t a t a l l ; Beyond o f b r a n c h e s on t h e d i s t a n t the t i p s trees i s simply sky. Whoever won o r l o s t on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d s of past or present? Are the strategic p o i n t s of Chinese and b a r b a r i a n s only m o u n t a i n s and rivers? The S i x Dynasties c a n n o t be l i g h t l y For t h e h e r o e s Wang Tao and H s l e h Hsuan were n o t j u s t a n accident! c 1 1 1 ridiculed or slandered, 80 He c a r e f u l l y noted the p e a c e f u l atmosphere and even more im- p o r t a n t the t o t a l l a c k of m i l i t a r y f o r t i f i c a t i o n s i n such an important area. The h i g h p o i n t of the poem i s h i s suggestion t h a t the Sung dynasty had done even worse than the southern d y n a s t i e s i n t r a i n i n g and using good g e n e r a l s . a f t e r the North-south Period c e r t a i n l y Historians " r i d i c u l e d " the southern d y n a s t i e s f o r the ineptness of t h e i r r u l e r s and m i l i t a r y weakness, y e t when Yang suggested that the Sung dynasty was even weaker, he was i n s u l t i n g the Sung emperors almost as auda^ ciously as when he suggested that Kao Tsung was another Ch;',in S h i h Huang. Yang f i n a l l y reached the boundary on the Huai R i v e r , and now h i s mood was much t e n s e r than before: On F i r s t E n t e r i n g the Huai R i v e r As soon as our boat l e a v e s the sandbanks of F l o o d Lake, 3 We a r r i v e a t the Huai R i v e r , and my mood i s no l o n g e r good . b Why i s i t t h a t only the Sang-kan R i v e r i s f a r away? 0 E v e r y t h i n g n o r t h of midstream i s as f a r as the ends of Although heaven. 1 1 2 Yang was not a n o r t h e r n e r , he f e l t the same f r u s t r a - t i o n as such n o r t h e r n poets as Lu Yu and Hsin C h ' i - C h i , when he realized t h a t he d i d not have the freedom to v i s i t of Chinese c u l t u r e i n the n o r t h : > the homeland 81 Boats from But the r a c e away f r o m the They go g u l l s and b a c k and about a t about egrets aren't 1 1 changed the our t o i n d i g n a t i o n and background country's a n g e r when of the Han might; Sung fiasco: 8. two p r i m e m i n i s t e r s Chao Tung, and built the Imperial foundation. he Shih-chung the a f o o t the flying ^ political proclaimed constraint; to south, C h ' i , Yiieh P e l , Chang Chiin, and Within other, trouble's in u n d e r any f o r t h from north ease. This f r u s t r a t i o n While each making. Only Liu shores when t h e i r waves c l a s h t o g e t h e r , the thought two Chang ChUn 1 3 l o n g H u a i d i v i d e s us into North and South; My t e a r s moisten for this? Y a n g W a n - l i was we find trast not cal an effusive poet, and t h e word " t e a r s " even m e n t i o n e d t o T'ang and of rage blunders earlier poets who to dry their eyes. o v e r what he of the by Ch'in after Kuei the I blame southern Sung. emperor Kao they had rare i n h i s verse, that i n con- Yang's " t e a r s " were the unforgivable politi- Three of the g e n e r a l s Han T s u n g and served i t i s very were f o r e v e r r e a c h i n g f o r considered m e n t i o n e d , L i u C h ' i , Ytteh P e l , and eliminated should 1 1 4 t h e i r handkerchiefs tears t h e autumn w i n d — w h o out he S h i h - c h u n g , were a l l the prime m i n i s t e r their usefulness in con- 82 solidating the emperor's p o s i t i o n Yang's t e a c h e r , had g i v e n him by Hsiao w h i c h he had Tsung. Yang c l e a r l y us f r o m any v?hen on lost account the r e t u r n felt journey had he the Chang inept of China could to the of the demeaning the Chin stirred stopped ChUn, support knew whom he half t o f o l l o w while welcoming However, t h e shame w h i c h he and south. been d i s g r a c e d a f t e r blame f o r t h e d i s a s t e r w h i c h had Yang s p a r e s i n the rituals ambassador. his entire at Chin. being, Chin S h a n ^ ^ o r M e t a l M o u n t a i n , a famous s c e n i c wonder w i t h many s p l e n d i d Buddhist monasteries, After East t h e Snow S t o p s of Scorched Metal.Mountain southern Heaven took Joining It And Yang wrote: I Climb M o u n t a i n , west opens t h e the waters them i n t o d r a i n s beneath If How It a rock, force one Mountain, a the dipper. this of t h r e e r i v e r s one river comes f r o m a b o v e t h e n i n e Meeting of M e t a l empyrean a s h i g h a s the nine When i t meets a peak, t h a t The M e t a l M o u n t a i n a t Dawn that rock o f h e a v e n and Metal One speck Not one pebble lakes, Yangtze. heavens levels of the earth. peak i m m e d i a t e l y a t you, who 0 snaps; crumbles. earth collects in this dares river; resist? Mountain? stands mid-stream alone Not five name t h e immediately o f i t s waves b e a t s strong is this we and In the of d u s t f o l l o w s the f o l l o w s the sea upper reaches. sea wind tide away. dancing; b 83 On i t s f o u r s i d e s i t has Floating no stem, b e n e a t h no i n the v o i d , i t l e a p s f o r t h river's root; to r e s t i n the heart. G o l d e n p a l a c e s and B e a t i n g drums and s i l v e r look-outs clanging bells rise on are heard i t s peak; a l l over China. The poet treads And h e a v e n ' s wind Not for this Floating jade-boat Surely the Surely Metal on snow t o come f o r t h i s p u r e blows h i m cup; Great right up J a d e Peak do the excursion; coral I d r i n k from R i v e r i s ashamed M o u n t a i n mourns f o r of us! us! 1 1 5 i n n o c e n t l y enough a s a p o w e r f u l of scenery one outstanding reads the tains feel last be was clearly their swept away by lines, around one the realizes g i v e n an incompetent island, it emperors. cords when of the Metal the Yangtze R i v e r , but to the capital a b o u t New assignment as R e v i s e r of the Secretariat. was but t h a t even t h e mounSung Mountain t h e Sung Year of could dynasty necessary Since Hsiao to f i n i s h or " v e r i t a b l e reign. In the pleted, and Tsung had and a l r e a d y had abdicated the r e c o r d s " of h i s l o n g twenty-seven requested Tsung's C a l e n d a r was in throne, p r e p a r a t i o n s of the h i s t o r i c a l e i g h t h month H s i a o Yang was 1190 V e r i t a b l e Records i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e p o s t he the description doomed. Yang r e t u r n e d was found a r e v u l s i o n f o r the d i s g u s t i n g d e f e a t a r m i e s l e d by not two my e Y a n g ' s poem s t a r t s the tower. re- year Com- to w r i t e a p r e f a c e , which was 84 one o f h i s d u t i e s as a h i s t o r i a n . c o u r t found o u t , and an i n t h e Board official part insult ment f r o m viously o f R i t e s , who him write t o Yang, and no requested i n t h e end an retireob- his request- Yang d i d n o t t o be vexed and i f he one writings. 317 dynasty d i d not What d i d he t o 323, and still was much a s H s i a o the f i r s t from Chiang-tung of s c h o l a r s , that?" 1 1 6 he h i s son Hsiao ^ who When H s i a o doing here?" was Kuang When Kuang Tsung in his continued: official Yuan T i , who reigned emperor o f t h e e a s t e r n C h i n of the Chinese dynasty Tsung had failed T s u n g ' s d i s p l e a s u r e was b u t he was emperor. understand, mean by scholars a c c o r d i n g t o C h i n e s e h i s t o r i a n s was r e s p o n s i b l e the f a i l u r e prevented of the 7\J Hsiao court h i s t o r i a n s , i s r e p o r t e d to have asked t o C h i n Yuan T i % compared me the name on t h e l i s t T s u n g , "What i s Yang W a n - l i Tsung a c t e d as Government o f by p r e s e n t t h e book t o t h e r e t i r e d extremely Hsiao take central authorities Sagely completed appointed Yang W a n - l i ' s for to Yang's f a c e by p e r s o n a l l y t h e e l e v e n t h month The Y a n g W a n - l i was from right to the p r e f a c e . T s u n g saw "He the commission T h i s a c t i o n was immediately t o s t a y i n the government, but was would he no the c o n f i d e n c e i n h i s competence t o f u l f i l l Kuang T s u n g saved In and had Calendar. the government, because had duties. ing Yang's s u p e r i o r s changed i n the p r e p a r a t i o n of the intended However, Yang's enemies a t taking part a l s o demoted to reconquer north to c o u n t e r - a t t a c k the so g r e a t t h a t n o t Tartars. o n l y was i n the p r e s e n t a t i o n ceremonies to A s s i s t a n t if^ i t §j ^ Fiscal China Yang but Intendant f o r Unperturbed by a l l these 85 blows Yang p u b l i s h e d h i s s i x t h volume of poetry and headed to h i s new post. Yang had had held totally already reached g i v e n up any earlier. was of s i x t y - t h r e e , and pursued work was c e r t a i n l y p r e f e r a b l e to the i n the c a p i t a l , because although based i n Nanking, he had to t r a v e l c o n t i n u o u s l y around b e a u t i f u l c o u n t r y s i d e near Nanking, and he was when Yang s e t out f o r Nanking one of h i s f r i e n d s t h a t the only reason he wanted to go to the new In 1192 In f a c t , post was hi© be1 1 7 not to stay i n Nanking f o r l o n g , f o r subsequent events got him i n t r o u b l e w i t h the a u t h o r i t i e s a g a i n . the court decided backed by i r o n coinage i o d i s extremely to begin c i r c u l a t i n g a paper currency i n the Chiang-nan r e g i o n . and i n 1024 known to mankind. the Sung i s s u e d the f i r s t paper At f i r s t Sung monetary i n n o v a t i o n s were c a r e f u l l y r e g u l a t e d , but a f t e r the f a l l Sung, Chinese The Sung per- well-known f o r i t s r e v o l u t i o n a r y i n n o v a t i o n s i n the monetary f i e l d , currency the joked w i t h cause he "lacked a C o l l e c t i o n of East of the Y a n g t z e . " political he i n s p i r e d to w r i t e much poetry about the n a t u r a l wonders to be seen t h e r e . Yang was he ambitions f o r h i g h o f f i c e he might have Yang's new c a r e e r t h a t he had the age of the n o r t h e r n f i n a n c e s were thrown i n t o a f a i r l y f o r a w h i l e , although business continued chaotic state to t h r i v e i n the b i g merchant c i t i e s a l o n g the Yangtze. One of the most s e r i o u s problems of Sung f i s c a l p o l i c y was the great demand i n f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s such as Japan f o r Chinese copper cash. In a d d i t i o n to u s i n g paper money as a replacement f o r copper cash, the Sung government attempted to s o l v e t h i s problem by minting c o i n s i n other metals and encouraging the 86 use of g o l d government d u s t and issued silver large ingots. quantities areas i n t h e hope o f c r e a t i n g an inner c o p p e r c a s h economy and import C h i n e s e c o p p e r , and by the Chiang-nan economy, and region, issued and possibly to b r i n g law, t h e new of a l l m i l i t a r y nan. The i n the Huai a r e a , greatly distressed, to commercial t h e new sent p e r s o n n e l and payment was up a m e m o r i a l rate o f exchange use i n the Chiang-nan posed to f o r b i d In e f f e c t , t o be that a r e a , and, rather A c c o r d i n g to the iron salaries i n Chiang- c o i n a g e was i n fact, a The only not i n general t h e government p r o - o t h e r than i n the Huai supposed salar- to e s t a b l i s h c o p p e r money. t h e government o f f i c i a l s would i n p a p e r c u r r e n c y w h i c h was but equal to the former between i r o n and i t s circulation in protest. be used f o r p a y i n g t h e t h e government was p r o b l e m w i t h t h e s y s t e m was i n the Chiang- t h e government i n - government o f f i c i a l s supposed iron because h i s activities circulation. c u r r e n c y would by When Yang paper currency i t s e l f t h e money i n t o but o f t h e s o u t h e r n Sung o f paper c u r r e n c y backed immediately i n copper cash, since fixed up to p r e v e n t the f l o w of useful the h e a r t l a n d he was related he to a paper c u r r e n c y backed e x t r e m e l y q u e s t i o n a b l e means by w h i c h tended pay s t a t e s which wished s o u t h e r n Sung t i m e s t h e g o v e r n - the i n t r o d u c t i o n Yang d i d n o t a t t a c k ies was r e g i o n was closely the 1 1 of t h i s p o l i c y , work was new between a more s e r i o u s p r o b l e m t h a n i n b o r d e r p l a c e s . heard the barrier" Chin. ® Such a s t r a t e g y nan "iron i r o n money i n t h e H u a i R i v e r r e g i o n copper c a s h to the was o f i r o n money i n b o r d e r foreign ment went a s t e p f u r t h e r and with I n n o r t h e r n Sung t i m e s t h e be r e c e i v i n g t o be b a c k e d region. their by iron, 87 but in which they could Chiang-nan. such a only change i n t o Yang W a n - l i c l e a r l y the copper cash recognized the danger of policy: The Huai area use t h e new p a p e r c u r r e n c y , will can i s using iron be t h e same a s h a v i n g be e x c h a n g e d . [the coinage, having iron being nan i r o n money currency currency currency cash f o r which i t T h i s i s t h e same a s a m o t h e r separated paper from each o t h e r . currency] Y e t , i n Chiang- i s p r o h i b i t e d , and when t h e new i s put into the m i l i t a r y and so i f t h e y paper i r o n money] and I t s c h i l d \ [ t h e not people circulation, will paper I do n o t know what do i f t h e y take the paper and exchange i t a t t h e m a r k e t . I f they want t o exchange i t f o r c o p p e r money, c e r t a i n l y one will copper cash]. [ a form of paper currency I f they money, t h e r e w i l l coinage n o t be one p i e c e o f i r o n I f there t h e new p o l i c y without called a would i s p a p e r money mother. f o r paying w i t h a f o r m o f money w h i c h was w i t h o u t result money f o r f o r w h i c h i t c a n be e x c h a n g e d , i t t h e same a s a c h i l d In essence, b a c k e d by want t o exchange i t f o r i r o n w h i c h i t c a n be e x c h a n g e d . without no g i v e them a n y , s i n c e i t i s n o t " c a p i t a l paper currency" is current be c o m p l e t e value economic d i s o r d e r . 1 1 9 government servants t o them, and t h e When t h e measure b e - came l a w , Yang W a n - l i r e f u s e d t o c a r r y o u t t h e g o v e r n m e n t and as a r e s u l t , he o f f e n d e d the prime m i n i s t e r . orders, 88 I n t h e e i g h t h month o f 1192 h e was i m m e d i a t e l y t o K a n - c h o u , b u t he r e f u s e d request f o r r e t i r e m e n t , w h i c h was g r a n t e d . N a n k i n g he p u b l i s h e d entitled i n Chi-shui before s i n c e he a l r e a d y Yang and s e n t Before he ina left t h e poems w h i c h h e h a d w r i t t e n t h e r e and them C o l l e c t i o n f r o m E a s t Yang a r r i v e d serving t o t a k e h i s new p o s t transferred was s i x t y - f i v e , t h e government. of the Yangtze the beginning Jjj^ ^ . o f autumn, and he had no f u r t h e r i n t e n t i o n o f S h o r t l y a f t e r he a r r i v e d b a c k home, wrote: Watering a P o t o f Calamus and N a r c i s s u s When I r e - r e a d But o l d poems, t h e y after finishing and Flowers become new a g a i n , them, I'm so drowsy I stretch yawn. Innumerable f l o w e r s i n t h e p o t complain of t h e i r thirst, But this o l d f e l l o w o n l y wants t o be a l a z y Although political saw d i d not please him. had to take i n the c a p i t a l Two y e a r s carefully, a f t e r he l e f t t o watch and what he s e r v i c e , the Tsung d i e d , and h i s s o n Kuang T s u n g , who an u n c o n t r o l l a b l e hatred f o r h i s father, refused p a r t i n any o f t h e f u n e r a l c e r e m o n i e s f o r t h e d e p a r t e d emperor. r$j^ situation emperor H s i a o developed 1 2 0 Yang was now i n r e t i r m e n t , he c o n t i n u e d the retired man. 1 2 1 The p r i m e m i n i s t e r a t t h e time and a p o w e r f u l official Han Chao Ju-ytt T'o-choujj?Jj. ^i^U t o g e t h e r w i t h Kao Tsung's Empress Wu ^ ^ , and t h e y conspired s e t up 89 Kuang Tsung's s o n as t h e f o r c i n g Kuang Tsung i n t o an was a direct Han Ch'iJ-j^ ial line man, and gained 3^ f d a n emperor. before into two given high office was T ' o - c h o u was an the first by thoughts of the l e d by Ohu patterned pected, Han after Chu t o have c l o s e access northern ambitious of o f f i c e In the they capital had patron finally Hsl's second group, which r e f o r m s o f Wang A n - s h l h . and t o p e r s u a d e N i n g T s u n g t o e l i m i n a t e Han of Ch'eng Y i ^ f . s a i n t s i n Chu The H s l s o o n c l a s h e d w i t h Han, been were p r o p o n e n t s Sung p h i l o s o p h e r of the power T'o-chou, a d a p t e d a more l e g a l i s t i c the and had in a bitter H s i , who Chao J u - y l i , and become one by imper- 1 2 s y n t h e s i s of neo-Confuclanism. favored t o t h e Sung c e n t r a l government. ^ scholar o f f i c i a l s was T'o-chou official extremely p a r t i e s w h i c h were engaged The had able Han 1 2 2 Sung l o n g he f o r c e d Chao J u - y l i o u t struggle. , who allied so he was complete c o n t r o l over formed great h i s l a m l l y was Han Meanwhile, the the early retirement. d e s c e n d a n t o f t h e famed n o r t h e r n through marriage, t o t h e new T s u n g ( 1 1 9 5 - 1 2 2 5 ) emperor K i n g As approach could when Chu be ex- attempted T ' o - c h o u f r o m power, 1 Ph. the p h i l o s o p h e r was Ju-yli's paign expulsion quickly d r i v e n from o f f i c e . i n 1i95, Han ly the included a l l neo-Confucianists i n d i v i d u a l who In the o r Wei charge of " F a l s e L e a r n i n g " 1195 court. disagreed Han was w i t h Han The already an e x c u s e he cam- used was Hsueh^ ^ , which f o l l o w i n g Chu Hsi. T'o-chou's However, policies. so he could be any 1 2 5 t o r e c a l l Yang W a n - l i o l d man, an obvious- s o o n expanded t o i n c l u d e T'o-chou attempted Yang was A f t e r Chao T'o-chou s t a r t e d a g e n e r a l to e l i m i n a t e a l l o p p o s i t i o n . a t t a c k on ."False L e a r n i n g " ^ to trusted 90 not to c a u s e any tellectuals tability nessed political with Chu hatred the serving i n the the undue t r o u b l e , under him eyes of wide H s i , and We by the post, but o f w h i c h was . Han if the of reported record for on the and ceiving them. and in Chi-shui. Yang's r e f u s a l o f b u r d e n on written many Yang i s records prized i f written payment wrong a b o u t Han re- i n the p r i n c i p a l r e a s o n Yang r e f u s e d T'o-chou's a c t i o n s . this acquain- ; ethically post the abandoned, but i n exchange f o r s u c h a s e r v i c e e x t r e m e d i s t a s t e f o r Han govern- government f i g u r e , Yang must have r e c e i v e d the |3p Garden t o commemorate be men impor- o f Han's r e q u e s t , Yang had nothing two govern- most p r o j e c t s o f h i s f r i e n d s and T h e r e was Intense began s p e n d i n g can and received of h i s S o u t h e r n office 1 2 6 an b r e a k between t h e s u c h documents were h i g h l y public office o f Sung s c h o l a r s , Yang's s l i g h t e d by When i n f o r m e d construction a famous l i t e r a r y some o f remained a r e c o r d "*£J wit- thinkers developed acceptance f o r t h i s written!" had Thus, when he power, Han "The respec- Yang's r e l a t i o n s h i p o f f e r e d Yang W a n - l i a h i g h garden. since respected noted and construction t o have s a i d : various who a number o f p r o j e c t s , t h e to gain so he c a n n o t be tances, by felt o l d p o e t would w r i t e opening for o l d age gained the wished ment f i n a n c e s , officials a n o t h e r e v e n t made t h e ment f u n d s l a v i s h l y tant scholar T'o-chou's p o l i c i e s . A f t e r he needed famous i n - his rule greater t i m e Yang had T'o-chou p r o b a b l y permanent. |f] this badly to g i v e have a l r e a d y summons, Yang p l e a d e d Han Han s c a l e purges of h i g h l y figures. f o r Han other and never was at Chi-shui in virtual his forgave insult. M e a n w h i l e , Yang l i v e d view isolation 91 taking o c c a s i o n a l e x c u r s i o n s around still busily writing poetry. years o f r e t i r e m e n t was g a t h e r e d son, by t h e nearby The p o e t r y c o u n t r y s i d e and of these time. major l i t e r a r y Yang was f u l l y figures from i n c r e a s i n g l y fourteen t o g e t h e r posthumously b u t a l l o f Yang's e a r l i e r works had a l r e a d y this last by Yang's been p r i n t e d aware t h a t he was one o f t h e o f h i s p e r i o d , and a l t h o u g h he s u f f e r e d bad h e a l t h i n h i s s e v e n t i e s , h i s p o e t i c put h a r d l y diminished at all. When he was s e v e n t y - e i g h t outyears o f a g e he w r o t e : A f t e r a r e l a p s e o f bladder d i s e a s e the d o c t o r says should a v o i d w r i t i n g because i t s t r a i n s when I g e t up i n t h e m o r n i n g I my h e a r t y s o I warn m y s e l f . (Second Poem o f Two) Recklessly So addicted to poetry, I beg f o r g i v e n e s s f r o m o r i o l e s and f l o w e r s my b i t t e r By this why do t h e y time to stop t o T'ao Yuan-ming o r H s i e h come l o o k i n g f o r me a t n i g h t i n my i t seems t h a t t h e o l d p o e t the normal concerns i n vain; chant. I d o n ' t owe any d e b t s So I weary my h e a r t of the world, had t o t a l l y and a l t h o u g h Ling-yun, dreams? transcended Han T'o-chou's a t t a c k s a g a i n s t h i m were g r o w i n g i n s e v e r i t y , Yang l i v e d state o f near p e r f e c t detachment. The reaffirmed middle ina reason f o r Yang W a n - l i ' s the V i m a l a k l r t l age. References peace o f mind i s t h a t he had i d e a l w h i c h he had d i s c o v e r e d i n to V i m a l a k i r t i become more common i n 1 2 ? 92 his later given poetry and expression the i n a number o f The I f you It's moon and pure d o n ' t we ciating p a i n w i t h good humor: feet allowed start exhausted t h e w h o l e day, b a n i s h my depression. Flowers fill my I have passed Who eyes, three would know my If people in saw Idleness, me wind, face approach to l i f e my Idleness t o t h e Realm o f S u c h an ill, layman i s o u t s i d e t h e Mundane Realm. What day While of the Buddhist poems: Realm of want t o h o l d not Bright philosophy one another? Yang t o b e a r hurting again. 1 2 8 the most After excru- I sit I w r i t e the f o l l o w i n g to and snow c o v e r s my o r f o u r more y e a r s a i l i n g l e g s keep me crouching, they'd say head; i n uncertainty. from walking; I was sitting meditation! When I d r o p my f a n by the t a b l e s i d e I'm too l a z y to p i c k i t up, So how can I p o s s i b l y s e a r c h f o r my book b e n e a t h world of f l y i n g the window? Men of the But I'm envious are always envious of w a l k i n g men, who immortals, seem i m m o r t a l s to me! 93 Yang's i l l n e s s of Vimalaklrti, visit and f r i e n d s came t o h i m he w r o t e : But grave illness as soon as M a n j u s r l the to r e m i n d e d h i m o f t h e famous malady and when some r e l a t i v e s Vimalaklrti's The obviously baleful was n o t easy asked malady. t h e q u e s t i o n , he one o f h i s d i s c i p l e s ill. to v i s i t t h e Buddha Vimalaklrti, cently fallen However, when a l l o f Buddha's refuse t o go o u t o f f e a r t h a t t h e sage w i l l ferior knowledge o f B u d d h i s t knowledge, M a n j u s r i , Buddha, M a n j u s r i , mansion g i v e s r i s e culminates his explanation philosophy, agrees to lead them. to a profound asking attempting who h a s r e disciples, expose t h e i r i n - the bodhlsattva of The a s s e m b l y and t h e numerous d i s c i p l e s i n Manjusri lost 1 5 0 V l m a l a k i r t i - n i r d e s a - s u t r a s t a r t s with send to cure, of the at Vimalaklrti's d i s c u s s i o n o f Buddhism, w h i c h each of the b o d h i s a t t v a s o f t h e meaning o f n o n - d u a l i s m . to give Each provides a complex a n s w e r , b u t when i t i s V i m a l a k l r t i ' s t u r n t o s p e a k , he remains s i l e n t . Vimalaklrti Buddhists, abled 1 5 1 This i s the "thunderous silence*' of so o f t e n r e f e r r e d t o by Ch'an and o t h e r and i t i s t h i s Yang t o t r a n s c e n d realization the w o r r i e s of n o n - d u a l i t y and i l l n e s s e s Chinese which en- of h i s l a t e r years. Han the T ' o - c h o u had f i n a l l y central e l i m i n a t e d a l l o f h i s enemies i n g o v e r n m e n t , b u t s i n c e he was n o t a b l e ceptance from the i n t e l l e c t u a l s , way he p o s s i b l y f e l t to gain a c t h a t the only t o c o n s o l i d a t e h i s p o s i t i o n was t o engage i n m i l i t a r y a d - 4 Sung 9 ventures. for There had been peace now over t h i r t y y e a r s , and between the Chin and there were no overt a c t i o n s by Chin government that would suggest the a resumption of h o s t i l i t i e s . When a Chinese ambassador returned from the Chin c o u r t , he r e ported t h a t the Chin government was the country was i n a s t a t e of d i s a r r a y and r i p e f o r i n v a s i o n , because the Chin armies were busy i n the n o r t h f i g h t i n g o f f the r i s i n g power of the Mongols. By 1204 Han T'o-chou had i n v a s i o n and had m a r t i a l bravery. s t a r t e d massive p r e p a r a t i o n s f o r an posthumously e n f e o f f e d Ylieh P e l to encourage The g e n e r a l Wu Hsi ^ flf*^ Szechwan i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the Chinese was o t h e r a c t i o n s of Han sent to onslaught. ^ 1 Yang's f a m i l y h i d a l l news of these war afraid 1 preparations and T'o-chou from Yang, because they were t h a t such news might harm the o l d poet, whose h e a l t h had become i n c r e a s i n g l y f r a i l . In 1205 Han summoned Yang back to the c a p i t a l once again, but i n s t e a d of merely p o l i t e l y r e f u s i n g on grounds of h e a l t h , Yang sent a r e p l y a c c u s i n g Han of undermining the s e c u r i t y of the s t a t e and t o r o u s conduct. Yang's memorial was T'o-chou engaging i n suppressed trai- by Han's friends. In 1206 the b i g moment came, and Han T'3o-chou gave the o r d e r s to begin the a t t a c k a g a i n s t the Chin. At f i r s t Chinese armies were s u c c e s s f u l , but the Chin had Sung i n t e n t i o n s as e a r l y as 1205, prepared, Han All so t h a t the Sung armies met T'o-chou's t r u s t e d g e n e r a l Wu armies and and requested the gotten wind of they were extremely several serious defeats. H s i surrendered to the to be e n f e o f f e d as k i n g of Szechwan. of these d i s a s t r o u s setbacks had well Chin 1 been hidden from Yang 9 5 "Wan-li by h i s f a m i l y , but relative, who had recently Y a n g o f a l l t h a t had Yang's biography his voice. He one day in''-the f i f t h returned from happened b e f o r e says called plans has to endanger the n a t i o n ' s a l t a r s . p a t h f o r me he wrote: Although lost power f o u r t e e n words t o p a r t w i t h h i s w i f e and brush f e l l , and he passed probably manufactured dramatic effect, have hastened a military by 1 5 Yang's demise. s e l f - s e e k i n g nature Yang had r e d and And the w i l d of e i g h t y , he written account f o r the b u t he was sake the of easily leave They a s k the Chin. e i g h t h of the f i f t h month, w r o t e t h e f o l l o w i n g s h o r t poem: Flowers t h e mud care about people who to dust, pity f l o w e r s don't say a word when they tree, the y e l l o w a- the flowers. Though t h e f a l l i n g was certainly p r e p a r a t i o n and p u r p l e b l o s s o m s t u r n t o mud, wind d o e s n ' t can his writing of Han's p l a n s f o r a t t a c k i n g t h e Palling The this I always been i n f a v o r of o f Sung m i l i t a r y b e f o r e Yang d i e d on a t t h e age Although have T ' o - c h o u ' s campaign c o u l d of n o r t h China, ware o f t h e p o o r s t a t e had children, Yang's b i o g r a p h e r s a n g e r a t Han reconquest Shortly away." ^ and I still state. Then a f t e r he him. 'Han monopolized to avenge the engage i n l o n e i n d i g n a t i o n . ' 1206, stop s u p e r i o r , m o b i l i z e d t h e army t o harm t h e p e o p l e , a h e a d , t h e r e i s no only He distant informed so m o u r n f u l l y f o r p a p e r and T'o-chou i s a t r a i t o r o u s m i n i s t e r , . w i t h no capital, the f a m i l y c o u l d t h a t Yang " c r i e d repeatedly the month, a orioles to t e l l the s p r i n g . 1 5 6 96 T h i s work c o u l d p r o p e r l y be like the f l o w e r s of l a t e regarded s p r i n g he was resistible f o r c e s of n a t u r e , expression of h i s e n t i r e Yang was his a v e r y modest he was structure. In the y e a r the lished i t under the tion published tion hao 1208 title under the Yang's e l d e s t had son written after T'ui Hslu ChjL ig_ ^ or Literary gathered to- 1192 pub- ^ and or Collec- the v a r i o u s c o l l e c t i o n s t o g e t h e r w i t h a l l of h i s prose title death Ch' e n g - c h a l C h l ^ ^J- j | works or hundred A l t o g e t h e r there are about poems i n t h i s writings comprise ern edition. SPTK about Yang's d i s l i k e subsequent events. Sung g o v e r n m e n t was peace head quite terms from collection, the and e i g h t hundred f o r Han twenty T ' o - c h o u was After the m i l i t a r y badly s h a k e n and Chin. The fully angry at this suggestion, o p e r a t i o n s a g a i n s t the empress had operation taken an enemy. prose confirmed of 1206, T'o-chou a s k e d C h i n government demanded b e f o r e p e a c e c o u l d be d i s c u s s e d , and so he Han planned was o f a number o'f h i g h o f f i c i a l s t o Han, at Ning and by the for Han's naturally further I n t h e mean t i m e extreme d i s l i k i n g two p a g e s i n t h e mod- disaster Han and Yang's t h r e e thousand Yang's c o m p l e t e of Collec- Works o f t h e S i n c e r e S t u d i o , t h e name d e r i v i n g f r o m Ch'eng-chal. an with h i s nature i t W e n - c h i e h jC. £| Somewhat l a t e r Y a n g ' s p o e t r y were p u t on a s P o u r y e a r s a f t e r Yang's 1 p o e t r y Yang W a n - l i of Retirement. lived of C h i - s h u i , where In k e e p i n g g i v e n t h e posthumous t i t l e gether the i r - life. buried i n h i s native v i l l a g e is Frugal. swept away by y e t h i s p o e t r y has tomb s u r v i v e s t o t h i s d a y . and a s Yang's swan s o n g , f o r military Tsung's w i t h the c o u r t , she co- encouraged 97 Ning Tsung t o do his empress, and his way by away w i t h h i m . m o r n i n g i n 1207 one t o c o u r t , he met t h e emperor t o k i l l concluded special w i t h the clear when Han with a party him. C h i n , and I n 1208 1 5 8 Han a humiliating The hordes. Although Yang W a n - l i ' s c h a r a c t e r s h o u l d be to assess now, i t i s customary the moral qualities judgements a r e f r e q u e n t l y q u i t e u n r e l i a b l e , seem out conduct of t h e p l a c e t o v e n t u r e in his public w h i c h was seems t o h a v e expected extremely retired from any strings treasury instead. of cash, of moral b u t he 1 4 0 left We criticism corrupt government i s a f a v o r i t e a man In accounts for his failure s h o r t , Yang W a n - l i came c l o s e to the money i n t h e a s an extremely Confucian to r i s e to l i v i n g ten public simple, considered critic of Yang's in office up he Wan-li's cliche, t o any he i t during three outspoken f r a n k n e s s f r e q u e n t l y harmed h i s advancement tially entitled o f government p o l i c i e s w h i c h he describing car- office When have f r e q u e n t l y m e n t i o n e d Yang Although not Yang's f o r high enlarge or decorate wrong. Such a public propriety. H i s home i n C h i - s h u i was t h e Yang f a m i l y d i d n o t fearless a m b i t i o n s he had s t r o n g sense i t was i n Sung t i m e s , h i s p o s i t i o n a t N a n k i n g , he was thousand generations. man Sung bio- i t does o p i n i o n s about educated was reasonably Though Yang p u r s u e d o f any controlled w i t h an and life. a few until subject. but seat sent i n a In Chinese of the on peace southern seventy-two y e a r s K u b l a i Khan's t o t h e r e a d e r by oblige were T'o-chou's head was to s u r v i v e another to T'o-chou was by graphies eer, happy of s o l d i e r s who 1 c o u r t managed out T s u n g was t o t h e C h i n I m p e r i a l c o u r t . 39 case snuffed Ning high to the and par- position. Confucian 98 ideal in his public But a s we philosophy near few It doesn't as ledge Yang's l i f e , matter the world the rich the cares Confucian rarely very while means t h e seems t o have Ch'an i d e a l , have s a i d living little an i n her out, of age, ing and first cook a bowl o f r i c e she t o o k any she continued she would t o p l a n t hemp by bore why d i d n o t have a wet ren?" *^ 2 and child of Yang's e l d e s t devoted get right. up very so Yang transcend o u t s i d e of i t . children. Al- hand and to nurse nurse, she early over i n the own children. replied: to nurse of p u b l i c was morn- servant weave h e r her and before eighty years old, Chang-QU-^was h i m s e l f to a l i f e Chinese clothes. three daughters, s t a r v i n g people son he E v e n when she g r u e l f o r her Yang f o u r sons and t o a l l o w anyone e l s e u s i n g the a know- i n f l u e n c e on h i s l i f e When she was refused she to quite usual f o r own years she managed b o t h w i t h i n and important food h e r s e l f . A i n i t s midst. a b o u t Yang's w i f e and interesting figure Altogether reached t o h i s sons f r e q u e n t l y i n h i s p o e t r y , However, she was only too. I n d i a n merchant, possessed seventy poet no s t a y s home o r g o e s m e n t i o n s h i s w i f e , w h i c h was poets. 1 of the scholar bureaucrat, of t h i s w o r l d , t h o u g h Yang r e f e r s feel he by wrote: w h e t h e r one transcend and was o f B u d d h i s m s u p e r i o r t o Buddha's monk d i s c i p l e s , We a Confucianism d i e d , Yang Vimalakirtl, Wan-li, the seen, In the r e a l i z a t i o n b e f o r e he F o r you Just have t h a t guided perfection years life. When "How my but asked would own also a service. she I childgood He was just as f r u g a l still his as h i s f a t h e r , a v e r y p o o r man i n s p i t e 9%, and when C h a n g - j u d i e d , he was o f many o p p o r t u n i t i e s p o c k e t s w i t h b r i b e s a s many c o n t e m p o r a r y Yang W a n - l i ' s h i g h sense o f m o r a l i n t e g r i t y members o f h i s f a m i l y . to line officials did. 1 4 5 was s h a r e d by a l l 100 References to the page numbers of Yang Wan-li's poems are as f o l l o w s . The f i r s t number r e f e r s to the chtian and numbers i n the Ssu Pu Ts' ung K'an ^ f'J e d i t i o n of the Oh' eng ji. . The ( a b b r e v i a t e d SPTK) 12? CGG)fj^ Chai Chi ( a b b r e v i a t e d second number i s t h a t of the chttan and the Ssu Pu P e l Yao page ( a b b r e v i a t e d SPPY) W ^ page i n fj| -J- edition. I f a t h i r d number appears, i t i s the page number of the poem i n Chou Ju-ch'ang's Yang Wan-li Hsuan Chi ( a b b r e v i a t e d YWLHC) y^j % iL. compared and j| • The t e x t s of SPTK and a l l s i g n i f i c a n t v a r i a n t s noted. i n g , the readings SPPY have been Generally of SPTK have been accepted i n preference SPPY, s i n c e SPTK i s a copy of a Sung e d i t i o n , and i a b l y i n t r o d u c e s e r r o r s due to mlsreadings speakto SPPY i n v a r - of c h a r a c t e r s and r e l i a n c e on l a t e r e d i t i o n s of Yang Wan-li's works. 1 Other than the p o e t i c and f o r Yang Wan-li's l i f e jj? ^ , chuan 4 3 3 - H s i a Ching-kuan ^ M M JL ^ H $• ^ ' n i s h i s biography , contained A l s o u s e f u l i s a nlen-p' u ^ ^ 0 9 0 8 i n Sung Shih ^ , Wan » r e P r Yu Wen Taipei, K^u 1965. Hui Yao to i n t e r n a l evidence i n Hu M i n g - t ' i n g % % l \ i chtian 9 , no. #j in ^ flfj i n the poems. 7 - 8 , p. 51-60, ^ ^ by r e - Another nlen-p'u "Yang Wan-li Shih P'ing ," Ta Lu Tsa Chih Chu H s i a Ching-kuan c o r r e c t s a number of minor e r r o r s In Yang's biography ference source * | j , Yang Ch'eng-chal Shih Hsflan ^ 0 prose works, the main fa 2fe c o n t a i n s some v a l u a b l e Shu ^ , information 101 but i s mainly based on H s i a ' s work. Weng T'ung-wen's R e p e t o l r e des date des hommes c e l e b r e s des Sung, a Sung p r o ject publication, |J[ no. r e f e r s to another nlen-p u by T s ' u i i n Chiang H s i Chlao Ytt Yfleh K'an r j _ \h ^ 19, but t h i s work has not been a v a i l a b l e ~^ to me. Chi ^2. ^ Chou J u - ch'ang's f o o t n o o t e s to Yang's a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l poems a l s o con- t a i n a wealth of i n f o r m a t i o n , and I have made use of them where n e c e s s a r y . O C i t a t i o n s are not g i v e n f o r minor d e t a i l s from Yang's c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y 2 P 1 Yflan-^ (abbreviated ^ ordered poems and t h e i r p r e f a c e s . , H s l n Chlao Hsu Tzu Chih T'ung Chien HTCTC)|lj4l i f Taipei, biographical ^ z&l$L$!e. 1961 , p. 2424. I have r e l i e d throughout f o r the p o l i t i c a l h i s t o r y 5 I b l d . , 2358. 4 I b i d . , 2360. 5 I b l d . , 2419. 6 I b i d . , 2396. 7 I b l d . , 2421-2422. 8 I b i d . , 2438. 9 I b i d . , 2444. 1 0 Ibld., 2451 . 1 1 Ibid., 2454. 1 2 I b i d . , 2488. 1 3 Ibid., 1 4 I b i d . , 2507. 1 5 I b i d . , 2555- 2496. , Shih Chieh Shu Ohli-S. on the HTCTC of the p e r i o d . 102 l 6 Ibid., 2565. 1 7 Ibid., 2568. 1 Lo, ®A good biography of H s i n C h ' i - c h i i s contained i n I . Y. Hsin C h ' l - c h l . Twayne P u b l i s h e r s , Inc., New York, 1971, H s i n ' s youth i s d e a l t w i t h i n pp. 22-25. 19 S P P Y , Lu Yu,||- i a t e d LFWCC)^!: & , Lu Fang Weng Ch'flan C h i (abbrev- ifi ± y ^ , 65-6a. 20 Fan Ch'eng-ta's biography i s found i n chuan 386 of the Sung Shih ( a b b r e v i a t e d S S ) . Ju-ch'ang )£] irjr Jen il> There i s a good biography i n Chou , Fan Ch'eng-ta S h i h Hsflan Min Wen Hsfleh Ch'u Pan She A / \ / JL it H\ H k 4^ A t^*L~, , Peking, 1959, pp. 251-61. 2 1 For a l l official titles I have depended on E . A. Kracke, T r a n s l a t i o n of Sung C i v i l S e r v i c e T i t l e s . P a r i s , 1957. Chang Chita's biography appears i n chuan 361 of SS. Yang Wan-li h i m s e l f wrote an e x t e n s i v e account of Chang's which i s recorded i n CCC, 115-1001-13. 23 H T C T C , 2635- 2 4 Ibld., 2777. 2 5 Ibld., 2809. 2 6 I b i d . , 2817. 2 7 Ibid., 2828-2831. life, 103 2 8 Ibid., 2 9 Ibid., 3 0 Ibid., 5 1 3161-3162. 3261. 3261-3262. I b i d . , 3300. Helmut Wilhelm doubts the p u r i t y of Ylieh F e l ' s motives f o r reconquering n o r t h China, and suggests that Kao Tsung and Ch'ln K u e l k i l l e d Yiieh to prevent the ascendance of m i l i t a r y power. Wilhelm's argument would, of course, cause one to q u e s t i o n the e n t i r e pro-war f a c t i o n . war f a c t i o n c o n s i s t e d l a r g e l y However, the p r o - of Confucian s c h o l a r officials, who had nothing to g a i n from a m i l i t a r y takeover, so I suspect the t r a d i t i o n a l v i l i f i c a t i o n of Ch'in Kuel may be much c l o s e r to the t r u t h . See Helmut Wilhelm, "From Myth to Myth: The Case of Ytteh F e l ' s Biography," A r t h u r Wright ed., Confucianism and Chinese C i v i l i z a t i o n . Hew York, 1964, Ibid., 3 3 s s , 5433-c. I b i d . , 5594-c. 35i - 4 a. 3296-3299. 3 2 3 4 pp. 225-226. a ; 1-1 a; 1 . An a l l u s i o n to Tu Fu's poem: " I f there a r e no v u l g a r t h i n g s near my eyes/ feels light." Fu (abbreviated Though extremely s i c k , my body See A Concordance to the Poems of Tu T F ) , Harvard-Yenchlng I n s t i t u t e S l n o - l o g l c a l Index S e r i e s , Supplement No. 14, r e p r . Taipei, 1966, 356/29/7. b. Ll-k'uai l i t e r a l l y means 'to pass over c l o d s ' and refers to a horse that runs s w i f t l y . Yang i s s a y i n g t h a t h i s t a l e n t s a r e no match f o r Hsiao c. Te-tsao. A r e f e r e n c e t o a c o n v e r s a t i o n concerning poetry between Hsieh A n ^ Jfc and Wang H u i - c h i h J J . ^ f x . 2 ^ , Wang compared poor poetry water, and Yang f e e l s to a duck f l o a t i n g i n the t h a t h i s own verse has n o t r i s e n above m e d i o c r i t y . He a l s o has ambitions t o r i s e above the m e d i o c r i t y of h i s c u r r e n t o f f i c i a l 5 6 Y a n g d e s c r i b e s h i s burning of the e a r l i e r poems i n a preface to h i s e a r l i e s t c o l l e c t i o n . 3 7 58 See COC, 8 0 , 672-a. C C C , 8*1t-676b. SPTK, L i u K'e-chuangjj Sheng l a Ch'flan 5 post Ohi^^"J \\ h %A , Hou T s un f ^ , Hsien 174-1557a. 9 i _ 7 a ; i-4b. 4 0 1 -7b; 1 5 a ; 11 . 4 1 1 - 1 2 a ; 1-9a. a. Marquis of H u a i - y i n i s the t i t l e great m i l i t a r y strategist of Han H s l n j ^ . i n S h i h Chi ^ , of the e a r l y Han, who e v e n t u a l l y r e v o l t e d a g a i n s t L i u Pang. is ^ H i s biography |£y , chuan 9 2 . b. Y u - c h i was a famous a r c h e r of the Chou dynasty. c. The d i s e a s e u r c h i n s a r e the I l l n e s s e s which plagued Duke Ching of T s i n d u r i n g the S p r i n g and Autumn P e r i o d . When the duke c a l l e d i n a good p h y s i c i a n , the two boys 105 were f r i g h t e n e d and diaphragm and died. See escaped to "the r e g i o n above the below the h e a r t . " Tso Ohuan, H\ The duke subsequently ^ HTCTC, 3597. 4 3 Ibid., 3664-3665. 44 1 - 1 2 b ; 1-10a. That i s , the r e f l e c t i o n of the moon i n the water. In Yang's poetry t h i s image i s f r e q u e n t l y a symbol f o r the emptiness of phenomenal e x i s t e n c e , but here i t does not seem to have any 45 HTCTC, 3668-3669- 46 1 - 1 3 b ; 1-11a; special significance. 16. Here Yang i s comparing Hsiao Tsung's P r o c l a m a t i o n of S e l f - c e n s u r e to a p r o c l a m a t i o n i s s u e d by Han Wu a f t e r he became d i s g u s t e d w i t h m i l i t a r y h i s campaigns a g a i n s t the Hsiung-nu. reverses i n Yang i s en- couraging Hsiao Tsung not to adopt a s i m i l a r featist ence to Wen Before Wen t o l d , and i s a refer- Wang X Wang went out h u n t i n g he had h i s f o r t u n e the soothsayers answer was: "What you c a t c h w i l l not be a dragon, not a deer, not a t i g e r , and not a bear. a man de- attitude. F e l - p ' i l i t e r a l l y means 'not a bear' and will Ti What you w i l l catch w i l l to a i d you i n becoming a hegemon." be 106 Wen Wang s u b s e q u e n t l y Lfl Shang w h i l e Allusion on t h e h u n t . t o a poem by Tu F u : general the is/ Fearing plngjj^ Z of l i v e s Chfln i s more p o p u l a r \^ period of e. with h i s men. at that Ch'UChang See TF, 87/l6b"/l2. the extremely i n w h i c h he was f i g h t i n g T i %J difficult t o r e s t o r e t h e Han a f t e r Wang Mang's u s u r p a t i o n . Yang i s com- t h e Han r e s t o r a t i o n t o t h e hoped f o r r e c o v e r y the n o r t h from the b a r b a r i a n s . Tuan H u i - t s u n g managed t o o b t a i n m e r i t fighting Goose Gate i n modern S h a n s i , Yang i s comparing Chang Chun f. The age o f s t r o n g s e r v i c e was g. A t Yang's t i m e t h e n o r t h e r n Sung was l o c a t e d roughly Chinese c i v i l i z a t i o n comparing the will t h e emperor K u a n g W u R e f e r e n c e t o a Han g e n e r a l who I.e., 1 Yang i s i m p l y i n g passed d u r i n g dynasty paring Ch tl-ping," that their general The name o f a p l a c e where •7\j their a s t h e Han g e n e r a l Huo was. N "They a s k who i t i s Huo soldiers are afraid be w a s t e f u l d. met h i s f u t u r e m i n i s t e r the ^ barbarians d e s p i t e h i s o l d age. t o t h e o l d Han general. forty. frontier of the on t h e s o u t h e r n i n e a r l y Chou t i m e s . limits weakness. of Yang i s the former s t r e n g t h of the Chinese present southern with 107 A tower b u i l t by the k i n g of the s t a t e of Yen during the Warring S t a t e s P e r i o d to a t t r a c t t a l e n t e d offic- i a l s to h i s c o u r t . Yang i s c r i t i c a l of H s i a o Tsung's s e l e c t i o n of o f f i c i a l s i n h i s confidence, who have been r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the m i l i t a r y d i s a s t e r . Yang means t h a t s i n c e Hsiao Tsung has not s e l e c t e d worthy o f f i c i a l s , he yet should not be worry- i n g about reconquest of the n o r t h but should the 4 7ss, 4 8 court i n order first. 5446a. 2 - 1 5 a ; 2-2a; The put 22. word chung i s used here i n the sense of ' s u i t a b l e . When t h i s sentence i s read together with the the poem becomes somewhat p u z z l i n g , f o r t h e r e title, i s no h i n t of malfeasance on the p a r t of L i Hsien-chung d u r i n g the campaign, and, i n f a c t , the SS him as the only hero of the m i l i t a r y According debacle. to the SS account, L l r e f u s e d to d i s t r i b u t e the booty to h i s o f f i c e r s , thereby among them, and t h i s i s probably causing However, i f L i had engaged i n any unlawful a c t i v i t i e s , ficult to e x p l a i n how he was appointed 5446-b. i t Is d i f - to a major m i l i t a r y p o s i t i o n soon a f t e r h i s temporary SS, resentment what Yang means by d e s c r i b i n g the g e n e r a l as "covetous." See paints disgrace. When t h e Han m i l i t a r y the a r m o r was p i l e d See Pan Ku3Ji Shu Chu j'^j ^ N i a o, l e a d e r Li;u P ' e n - t z u as h i g h as Bear E a r Mountain. Q , Han Shu /aj r e s h o r t f o r yao n l a o a famous h o r s e surrendered, P r j j l » Taipei, vj£ j|, £ i n ancient times. K " a l M l n 720-d. i s t h e name o f One o f L i H s i e n - c h u n g ' s g r e a t e s t p r o b l e m s was t h a t t h e c i v i l ities d i d n o t g i v e h i m enough money paign Li S author- t o r u n h i s cam- effectively. H s i e n - c h u n g was e x i l e d t o Ch'ang-sha j u s t as t h e Han s c h o l a r C h l a Y i , who was a v i c t i m of court intrigues. The s t o r y o f Chu Ylin Jj^. ^ Confucian scholars. minister hold Chu Ylin c r i t i c i z e d o f Han Ch'eng T i of the r a i l i n g ordered i s a favorite ^ i n t h e c o u r t when t h e emperor h i m t o be d r a g g e d away. Ylin f o r h i s f o r t h r i g h t punishing not him. When t h e r a i l i n g criticism Ch'eng T i o r d e r e d in the f u t u r e . Unfortunately so open-minded and r e f u s e d criticisms. and awarded instead of that the r a i l i n g be r e p a i r e d , so he would n o t i g n o r e chung' s the prime and g r a b b e d b r o k e , t h e emperor awoke t o h i s f a u l t s Chu with Hsiao to l i s t e n criticism T s u n g was n o t to L i Hsien- 109 4 9 2-l6b; 2-5b. The c h i n p i or metal eyescraper was an instrument used i n a n c i e n t I n d i a f o r eye o p e r a t i o n s such as removing c a t a r a c t s . The wind scrapes the eyes of the moon; i . e . , the wind blows clouds away from the moon's d i s k . A l l u s i o n to the S h i h Shuo H s l n Ytt: "The sages f o r - get f e e l i n g s and i n f e r i o r men are not up to f e e l i n g s . P e e l i n g s concentrate i n people S h i h Shuo Bis i n Yfl j£ |fe i kf\ A l l u s i o n t o a poem by Han Yfcl: eight feet, needlessly long/ two f e e t ; convenient Han Yfi M ^ like us." See SPTK, , 104-b. "The l o n g lamp i s The s h o r t lamp i s and b r i g h t . " , Chu Wen Kung Chlao See SPTK, Ch'ang L i Hsien 4i -5 5-59b. The s h o r t lamp i n Han Yfl's poem i s one used by a poor s c h o l a r before he o b t a i n s a h i g h 5°Por an account position. of Hang-chou s h o r t l y a f t e r Yang's time w i t h a d i s c u s s i o n of the p o p u l a t i o n problem, see Jacques Gernet D a l l y L i f e i n China on the Eve of the Mongol I n v a s i o n . New York, 1962, 22-58. 5 2-I8b; 2-6a. 1 52 2 - 1 9 b ; 2-6b. The f i v e pecks of r i c e i s Yang's o f f i c i a l s a l a r y * a r e f e r e n c e t o T"ao Ch'ien's r e f u s a l t o compromise h i m s e l f f o r such a p a l t r y amount. 1 10 532-21a; 2-8b. 5- ^2-23b; 2-11a. 55 2 - 2 3 a ; 2-1 Ob. 56 4-35»; 4-1b 57 4 - 3 8 b ; 4-5a; 49. ai The s h o r t lamp I s one used by a s c h o l a r who has not obtained h i g h b. position. A l l u s i o n to P e n g H s U a n ^ P e r i o d who served x fj^ of the Warring S t a t e s under Meng Ch'ang Chfln^_ of the s t a t e of C h ' l . When he f i r s t ^ became a r e - t a i n e r o f the p r i n c e , he was not h i g h l y valued and played h i s l o n g sword s i n g i n g that he wished to r e t u r n home because he had no f i s h i n h i s f o o d . See Ssu-ma Ch'ien £] \ K a i Ming Shu ChU, T a i p e i , c. , Shih Chi ^ , 198-c. Reference to Ssu-ma Hsiang-ju's "Tzu-hsu. Fu" %U famous-poem the or "Prose-poem of Master F i c t i o n . " The work i s n a r r a t e d by a f a n c i f u l c h a r a c t e r Master F i c t i o n and d e s c r i b e s the wonders of the I m p e r i a l h u n t i n g parks i n extravagant language. Yang suggests t h a t only such u n r e a l i s t i c w r i t i n g i s a p p r e c i a t e d by the present 58 _3 . _ 4 9a 4 government. 6 a # 59 4 - 3 9 b ; 4-6b. 6o 4 - 4 3 b ; 4-10a. 111 6 l 5 - 4 6 a ; 5-2b; 53. SPPY h a s 'auspicious •ancient expressions' expressions' o f t h e SPTK. Since v e r s i o n makes more s e n s e i n t h e c o n t e x t worcls ^ £e a r e repeated SPTK t e x t i s p r o b a b l y in a. We f i n d of a reference the f i r s t and corrupted due t o s i m i l a r i t y to a similar full moon, p e o p l e put paper l o t s See custom i n t h e " i n the c a p i t a l or strips on t h e n i g h t make f l o u r cocoons o f wood w i t h official the pastry. c h o o s e them and u s e them t o t e l l their People fortunes." YWLHC, p . 5 3 . San-ch'ti o r Three T h o r o u g h f a r e s i s Ch'li-chou i n modern C h e k i a n g The e x a c t province. significance o f t h e word c l e a r and t h e r e a r e v a r i o u s a d. and t h e i n the eighth l i n e , the p o s i t i o n s w r i t t e n on them i n t o c. t h e SPPY shape o f t h e two c h a r a c t e r s . T ' l e n Pao Y i S h i h : b. f or ^ | ^ "brush ts'ung explanations i s not a s t o what shrine" i s . Name o f a p a l a c e o f t h e Han d y n a s t y , which a t the t i m e o f t h e emperor Ch'eng T i was used a s a l e c t u r e hall. to e. Yang means t h a t he d o e s n ' t h a v e any a m b i t i o n s pursue a l i t e r a r y A hunting located career i n the court. p a r k o f t h e Han emperor Wu T i , w h i c h was west o f t h e c a p i t a l Ch'ang-an. The p a r k was 1 12 the s u b j e c t o f a famous p o e t i c a l work by t h e Han c o u r t poet Ssu-ma 62 5 - 5 0 b ; 5-7a. 65 6 - 5 5 b ; 6-5b; 57- a. Hsiang-ju. West M o u n t a i n o r H s i Shan i s i n t h e w e s t o f H s i n - c h i e n C o u n t y j t t l b. of Kiangsi province. Yang i s s a y i n g t h a t he i s o n l y concerned p a p e r work o f a g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l . times official with the In ancient documents were w r i t t e n o u t w i t h b l a c k and r e d i n k . c. I n o t h e r w o r d s , Y a n g i s so o c c u p i e d duties t h a t he c a n n o t write lines Wang P o ' s " I n t h e e v e n i n g , rolled pearl by a s famous a s curtains are up i n t h e West M o u n t a i n r a i n . " >f# Wang Po official , Wang T z u A n C h i J See SPTK, J ^ ^ , 2-31b. d. In t h i s line t h e word 'how', w h i c h i s Sung 6 4 The 65 6 - 5 6 a ; 6-6a. 6 6 6 are treatise appears t u d o e s n o t mean ' a l o n e ' b u t colloquial. i n CCC, 87-724-774. C C C , 89-763. ^The pao-chla s y s t e m and o t h e r r e f o r m s o f Wang t r e a t e d i n James L i u , R e f o r m i n Sung C h i n a , Press, C a m b r i d g e , Mass., 1959. An-shih Harvard U. DO a. C C C , 88-75 A S h i h Ching-t'ang was the founder of the L a t t e r Chin dynasty of the F i v e D y n a s t i e s P e r i o d . the S h i h set up M i l i t a r y P a c i f i c a t i o n Army i n 943. Shlh-chln l i t e r a l l y means the 'Chin dynasty of S h i h . ' tf. Because of peasant u n r e s t , the name of the army was changed to Army of Heavenly Majesty the f o l l o w i n g year. One y e a r l a t e r the Chin dynasty was destroyed by the K h l t a n . a. 69 C C C , 89-770. 7 0 Ibid., . 89-771. The L i n B a n d i t s were peasant r e b e l s who 1165 i n Hunan p r o v i n c e . which was revolted i n The equal g r a i n purchase, one of the main causes of d i s c o n t e n t , a government program which was supposed to buy from the peasants to feed m i l i t a r y and c i v i l sonnel. was grain per- F r e q u e n t l y l o c a l o f f i c i a l s d i d not pay the peasants f o r the g r a i n but pocketed the government's money. b. The equal buying was s i m i l a r to the equal g r a i n pur- chase but i t e n t a i l e d o f f i c i a l purchase of s i l k Instead of g r a i n . c. T h i s was a s i l k tax supposedly l e v i e d for soldiers stationed River region. to buy uniforms on the f r o n t l i n e s i n the Huai 11 d. The p e a s a n t s together, had t o pay f o u r k i n d s (1) the standard (3) purchase tax, (4) t h e new s i l k neighboring land of taxes a l - tax, the Huai uniform tax levied commandery. over-simplification, (2) the equal t a x , and f o r t h e sake o f t h e T h i s i s , o f c o u r s e , an b e c a u s e many o t h e r t a x e s were levied. S S , 5585-b. 7 1 7 2 7 5 74 6 - 6 l a ; 7-4a. S e e CCC, 7-65a. 7 - 6 6 a ; 7-8b; 63. I n t h e p r e f a c e SPPY a. has-ib The name o f Y a n g ' s s t u d y Tsung-ylian's snow." line: f or o f SPTK. i s a reference to L i u "I fish alone In the cold See SPTK, L i u T s u n g - y u a n ^ ? , Chu — Shih Y i n Pien T'ang L i u H s i e n \ X J I ^ The b. pi Literally, Sheng C h i |£_ ) \1P M i s to catch nothing. "dream s o u l . " 75 7 - 7 2 b ; 8-6b. 76 7 - 6 9 b ; 8-3b. f o r SPPY's F o r g e t t i n g words was a n i d e a l Ch'an B u d d h i s t s . not ^ 45-218a. object of the f i s h i n g SPTK h a s @ £ j a. river' . of both I f o l l o w SPPY. T a o i s t s and Ch'an was t h e d o c t r i n e w h i c h d o e s " s e t up words ^ *^ ." 115 One of the b a s i c t e n e t s of the Ch'an Buddhists i s that enlightenment i s n o t h i n g s p e c i a l or s e c r e t . See p. 152. 7 - 7 0 a ; 8-4b; 65. 77 The word chlang i s used i n the r a t h e r unusual sense of 'together with' or 'accompany.' 78 8-75h; 9-la. 79 CCC, 80-672. Idem 9-6a. 8l 8-80b; 82 9-88b; 10-6a. of 85 SPTK i s an obvious m i s p r i n t f o r ^ 11-106b; 12-6b; 95- The emperor's kindness i s Yang Wan-li's official s a l a r y , which was considered a p r i v i l e g e by of SPPY. conferred the emperor. For ch'ang c h l see T'ao Ch'ien's poem " D r i n k i n g Wine": "Formerly I s u f f e r e d from always s t a r v i n g / So I threw away my plow and l e a r n e d t o be an o f f i c i a l . " SPTK, T'ao C h ' i e n f l j See Ming c w ^ 5i fij m ^ ^ , Chien Chu T'ao Yuan •- 5 34a T h i s l i n e seems to r e f e r to the famous T'ang ch'uan ch'i of story Chen Chung Chl j ^ j |£y , which t e l l s a poor man named Lu Sheng who met a T a o i s t magician 116 In an Inn w h i l e t r a v e l i n g . The T a o i s t gave Lu Sheng a p i l l o w , which he claimed would grant a l l wishes to the p o s s e s s e r . A t t h a t moment the magician was cooking g r a i n f o r d i n n e r , and Lu Sheng f e l l on the p i l l o w . married his asleep Lu Sheng dreamed t h a t he was to a b e a u t i f u l wife and a f t e r o b t a i n i n g c h i n - s h i h degree, he e v e n t u a l l y became prime m i n i s t e r , d y i n g a t the age of e i g h t y with many prosperous o f f s p r i n g . inn When he awake, he eraw t h a t the hadn't changed and t h a t the g r a i n had not cooked y e t , but even so, Lu Sheng r e f u s e d to believe e v e r y t h i n g had been a dream. the s t o r y was the ephemeral nature and the f o l l y 8 4 of human l i f e of seeking h i g h p o s i t i o n and r i c h e s . T h e s t o r y of V i m a l a k l r t i i s contained k l r t i - n l r d e s a - s u t r a or ^ It The p o i n t of Jjf it. ^\ tfa & i n the VlmalaIn Chinese. i s t r a n s l a t e d w i t h copious a n n o t a t i o n s i n E . Lamotte, L'enselgnement de V i m a l a k l r t i . Louvain, 1962. a. 85 1 1 - 1 0 3 b ; 12-3b. 86 C C C , 80-672. 8 7 15-1 1a; l6-5a. 8 8 15-1 1b; l6-5b. A A The p a r t r i d g e adds to the melancholy of the t r a v e l e r , because i t i s supposed to cry - / j ^ 'you can't go on.' -^g itJ o r 117 89 _ 43b; 15 1 SPTK has a. l6-7a. T f o r SPPY's 3 ^) In the f i r s t line. The green robe i s the c o l o r of the unripe l i c h e e . b. the first the second l i n e the e n t i r e f r u i t In l i n e only p a r t of the l i c h e e i s r i p e , but i n i s ripe. The l i c h e e seems to have a c o o l i n g e f f e c t when one eats i t i n a t r o p i c a l 90 HTCTC, 3945. 91 16-I50a; a. climate. 1 8-1 b. A bamboo branch song i s a form of f o l k song ^popular i n Szechwan which was l a t e r u t i l i z e d first by upper c l a s s poets to d e s c r i b e r u r a l s c e n e s , a f t e r L i u Y l i - h s i composed imitations. 92 16-I53a; l8-4b. 95 1 7 - 1 5 8 a ; 19-4a. SPTK has f o r <fj of SPPY i n the t h i r d line. SPPY seems to make b e t t e r sense here. 94 1 7 - 1 5 8 a ; 19-4b. a. The Pukien b a n d i t s a r e Shen Shih's t r o o p s . b. The Spear Comet's appearance was supposedly a s i g n of revolt. 95 a. C C C , 62-500b. During the middle of the f i r s t century B. C. there were f i v e r i v a l shan-yu or c h i e f s f i g h t i n g f o r the 118 Hsiung-nu l e a d e r s h i p . The E a s t e r n Hu were a s e r i o u s menace to the Hsiung-nu a t the beginning of t h e i r p e r i a l p e r i o d and a l s o a t v a r i o u s l a t e r times. Jou-jan were a group of nomadic t r i b e s who difficulties to the n o r t h e r n Wei. im- The gave g r e a t Yang i s r e f e r r i n g to the r e c u r r i n g border problems of the Chin T a r t a r s , who b. now had to fend o f f the r i s i n g power of the Mongols. P i e n - c h i n g i s the name of the n o r t h e r n Sung c a p i t a l and southern c a p i t a l of the subsequent Chin, modern day K'al-feng. Hai-chou i s the area around the L i a o E l v e r b a s i n i n modern L i a o - n i n g . 9 6 S S , 5595-a. 97; 9 8 C h u H s i ' s biography i n chuan 429 neo-Confucian t a i n e d i n CCC, i n t e r e s t s , but h i s most work i s h i s Yung Yen SS. chuan 91-94. 1 9 - l 8 3 a ; 21-10a; In the second with important or T a l k of the Mean, con- U n l i k e Chu H s i , Yang's poetry or no s p e c i f i c a l l y neo-Confucian 9 9 of Y a n g wrote a commentary on the I Chlng i n l i n e n o r t h e r n Sung neo-Confucian little i s found has content. 131. l i n e SPPY has of the SPTK, and i n the fif- I have f o l l o w e d the SPTK readings i n a l l these a. cases. The Duke the emperor Hui Tsung i n t o c a p t i v i t y and who later followed escaped 119 back t o the southern attack Sung t o e n c o u r a g e Kao T s u n g t o t h e C h i n T a r t a r s and r e s c u e H u i T s u n g . the p a c i f i s t i c sentiment i n the c o u r t , Ts'ao's was i g n o r e d and he was demoted. managed ceased advice L a t e r when C h ' i n t o b r i b e the Chin H u i Tsung's c o f f i n Due t o t o send Kuei the de- b a c k t o t h e Sung, T s ' a o Hslin was a p p o i n t e d ambassador t o C h i n t o r e c e i v e t h e c o f f i n and back t h e s t i l l accompany living T s ' a o Chung-pen i s a n o b s c u r e surely is a descendant Hsien-jen o f Kao T s u n g . Individual, o f T s ' a o Hstln. T'ai-hou wife the wife of H u i Tsung. b u t he was The "Grand Empress" o f H u i T s u n g and m o t h e r Note t h a t t h e events poem o c c u r r e d f o r t y - t h r e e y e a r s described i n the before t h e poem i t - s e l f was w r i t t e n . The "Palace o f V i r t u e and L o n g e v i t y " was Kao T s u n g ' s r e s i d e n c e a f t e r he a b d i c a t e d The "Great Sovereign" The Mother o f J a s p e r P o o l but a c t u a l l y i n f a v o r of Hsiao i s the r e t i r e d Tsung. emperor Kao T s u n g . i s t h e m y t h i c a l H s i Wang Mu, Yang means t h e r e t u r n i n g empress o f H u i Tsung. Reference t o t h e empress' r e t u r n f r o m cold of the b a r b a r i a n This i s an a l l u s i o n t h e Han d y n a s t y carried Chin. to the story who was c a p t u r e d o f f beyond the northern o f Su Wu, a poet of by t h e H s i u n g - n u and the northern f r o n t i e r . When Han 120 Chao T i asked f o r Su Wu to be sent back, the Hsiung-nu c h i e f t a i n refused to acknowledge the poet was alive. L a t e r a Chinese ambassador t r i c k e d still the Hsiung- nu c h i e f t a i n by s a y i n g that when the emperor was ing i n the i m p e r i a l park, he shot a w i l d goo&e w i t h a note from Su Wu s t a t i n g he was s t i l l alive. nu were then f o r c e d to r e t u r n him. p r e s s had t r i e d was g. hunt- The Hsiung- Obviously the to get through to her son Kao em- Tsung but unsuccessful. A l l u s i o n to Tu Pu's poem "Presented to Ts'ao Pa": " G e n e r a l , you are a descendant of the M a r t i a l Emperor of Wei." See TP, 121/12/24. Although he had the same surname, Ts'ao Hsun was not a descendant of the r e nowned Ts'ao Ts'ao of the Three Kingdoms. merely comparing h. their valor. The Red Pine Immortal was had a t t a i n e d Yang i s a mythological figure Immortality by T a o i s t yoga and who alchemy. Ts'ao Hsfln i s o b v i o u s l y t h i n k i n g of r e t i r i n g to the hills. 1. Waxing of boots i s an a l l u s i o n to the biography of Juan Pu |7/J ^. nature. i n the Chin Shu: Someone went to v i s i t Pu and saw him j u s t as he was waxing h i s s a n d a l s . know how "Pu loved sandals by Pu sighed s a y i n g , 'I don't many sandals I can wear i n one l i f e . ' " retirement. See 121 j. The great p a t r i o t i c g e n e r a l of the southern Yiieh P e l , was K u e i , who i f he Sung, murdered by the prime m i n i s t e r Ch'in f e a r e d that Ytieh would become too succeeded i n t a k i n g back the n o r t h e r n l o s t to the Chin T a r t a r s . powerful territory Yang i s a d v i s i n g Ts'ao Hslin to remove h i m s e l f from p o l i t i c s before he becomes powerful k. enough to arouse the envy of a Ch'in A l l u s i o n to Tu Pu's s a t i r e on another m i n i s t e r of T'ang times: "Be Kuei. e v i l prime c a r e f u l not to get too c l o s e i n f r o n t , because the prime m i n i s t e r i s g l a r i n g . " See TP 26/4/26. 1 0 0 CCC, 1 0 1 SS, 62-505a. 5595-b. 102 , idem. T 1 0 5 I 0 4 m Y u Mou's biography 1 9 - I 8 3 b ; 21-10b; SPPY has i s i n SS, 389- 135- for more l i v e l y chttan of SPTK. i s considerably i n i t s meaning, so I have accepted the proper r e a d i n g . t h i s as In the f o u r t h l i n e , SPPY.has I n p l a c e of SPTK's a. The t i t l e of the poem r e f e r s to the f r e q u e n t the two characters ^ kuan i s Lu b. and i n the poem. use of Lu Wu- Yu. Yang Tzu-yffn or Master-cloud t h i n k e r Yang Hslung. Yang i s the Han Confucian Inky P o o l i s a p l a c e where the famed c a l l i g r a p h e r Wang H s i - c h i h was supposed to have 122 practiced h i swriting. However, t h e r e seems t o be no c o n n e c t i o n between Yang H s i u n g Yfln-chien o r I n the Clouds County lung or Scholar-dragon Yang Hsiung Lu, the Chin dynasty t h e poem Yang W a n - l i anachronism o f Sung thousand armored the R i v e r . be and K'ai that bore f r u i t only t h e r e was once i n years. o f t h e n o r t h e r n Wei emperor "Yli-wen T ' a i s e n t t h e g r e a t m e t r o p o l i s Chao K u e l and L i a n g Y d w i t h two cavalry t o h i m and c a r r i e d He s a i d t o L i a n g Yfl: e a s t , b u t I am g o i n g turn T h i s i s a common poets. to the annals commandants the t h e name o f t h e c a p i t a l Ch'ang-an. peach t r e e H s i a o Wu T i : of uses t o t h e H s i Wang Mu, i n whose r e a l m a miraculous Allusion corresponds to t h e c a p i t a l was a t Hang-chou d u r i n g t h e t h e T'ang d y n a s t y , Allusion poet Lu respectively. s o u t h e r n Sung, Yang s t i l l three Sung-chiang a n d L u Y u t o L u Ylin b e c a u s e o f t h e i d e n t i t y t h e surnames, Although of i s i n modern Pool. o f K i a n s u p r o v i n c e and was t h e home o f L u S h i h In of and Inky t o my a n c e s t r a l because o f your up w e s t . temples merit.' h i s v a s s a l s streamed t h e emperor over 'This water flows t o I f I can ever r e - i n Lo-yang a g a i n , i t w i l l The t e a r s o f t h e emperor down.it M i n g Shu ChU, 2 7 5 8 a . thousand 123 g. .. The s e a l i s one of an o f f i c i a l i n government. A big s e a l i s the s i g n of h i g h o f f i c e . h. Reference to the biography of L i Ho i n the T'ang Shu: "Every day a t dawn he went out r i d i n g a weak horse, f o l l o w e d by a s m a l l female s l a v e w i t h an o l d brocade sack on her back. When he thought of a poem, he wrote I t down and tossed i t i n t o the sack. As as he went home, i n the evening, he completed soon the poem." , K ' a i Ming Shu Chfl, 4104-d. his Lu Yu was noted f o r the immense q u a n t i t y of p o e t r y , and he l e f t more poetry than any other poet of the Sung dynasty. 1. , a prime A l l u s i o n to Kung-sun Hung ^ i s t e r of the Han dynasty. During h i s age, custom to choose min- i t was the the prime m i n i s t e r only from the n o b i l i t y , but Kung-sun Hung had no noble t i t l e when he was s e l e c t e d f o r the p o s t , so he was e n f e o f f e d as P ' i n g - c h l n Hou j. k. or Marquis Immediately of L e v e l F o r d . A c c o r d i n g to Kung-sun Bung's biography i n the Han "He b u i l t an e a s t e r n p a v i l i o n to a t t r a c t worthy Han Shu. K ' a i Ming Shu Chfl, 504-c. Shu: men." From the biography of Huai-nan Wang i n the S h i h Chih. Wu Tzu-hsu* remonstrated w i t h Fu-ch'a, s t a t e Wu, so Wu but Fu-ch'a Tzu-hsfl s a i d : the k i n g of the would not l i s t e n to h i s a d v i c e "Today I see deer wandering the t e r r a c e s of Ku-su." on He meant t h a t i f the k i n g 124 d i d not f o l l o w h i s a d v i c e , the s t a t e would be overthrown and deer would wander about the c a p i t a l c i t y Ku-su. 1. See Shih C h l , K ' a i Ming Shu Chfl, 260-cd'. Mount Lu i s one of the foremost holy mountains of China and l i e s m. Pu-sang was i n northern Kiangsi province. the t r e e from which the sun r i s e s , a c c o r d i n g to p o p u l a r Chinese mythology. n. Allusion to L i Po's l i n e s : of white s i l k / "His h a n d w r i t i n g on a f o o t Looks as i f . the sky had dropped i t s c l o u d brocade." See Hanabasu Hidekl Hi Hyaku K a s h l Sakuin ( a b b r e v i a t e d LP)-^rl!) | A 1% i| J | , Kyoto, 1957, 632.04. o. Located a t Hang-rchou' s West Lake. p. The Shang-ssu F e s t i v a l was the This l i n e i s a d i r e c t r. An a l l u s i o n quote from L i Po. to L i Po's poem: i t s e l f , nobody a. j ssu day i n t h i r d l u n a r month. q. 1 0 5 the f i r s t pushed i t ! " See LP, 815.02. "Jade Mountain f e l l by See LP, 207.28. 2 4 - 2 2 9 b ; 27-3a. Lacquer Garden i s the p l a c e where Chuangtze became an official. was Chuangtze s t a t e s t h a t once he dreamed he a butterfly d e c i d e i f he was but af tier he awakened he could not Chuangtze dreaming he was a butterfly 125 or a b u t t e r f l y dreaming Nan Hua Chen Chlng ^ b. he was Chuangtze. -^rj| See SPTK, » l-26ab. Great Locust Palace I s a r e f e r e n c e to the T'ang s t o r y Nan K o T''al Shou Chuan 1 jjfj jjfy A ^ ^ a c e r t a i n Ch'un-yu Fen>.|- ^ ^ slept i n w h l c n under a l o c u s t t r e e and dreamed he entered the t r e e , which was a c t u a l l y a huge p a l a c e . Both a l l u s i o n s h e i g h t e n the sense of the dream-like nature of the phenomenal w o r l d . 1° 25-236b; 27-lOa. 6 a. Chl-wen or Lucky P a t t e r n i s another name f o r the Kan R i v e r of K i a n g s i . b. 107 The two Immortals a r e probably Tu Mou and Lu Tu. 25-237b; 27-lla. a. By f o r g e t t i n g the h e a r t o r mind r a d i c a l of the Chinese c h a r a c t e r f o r sadness, Tang has a t t a i n e d the Ch'an s t a t e of mindlessness o r wu-hsln. 1 0 8 S e e SS, 54Q1 f o r a f u l l 109 7-255a; 2 a. account. 29-4a; 170. The ordinary name i n Chinese f o r the Tangtze R i v e r is Ch'ang Chiang and only the s e c t i o n near Tang-chou i s known as the Tangtze. b. A l l u s i o n t o the biography of K ung Fan J/j 1 the Nan S h i h : in "When the S u i army was about t o f o r d the Tangtze, a l l the o f f i c i a l s [ o f Ch'en] r e q u e s t e d to make defense p r e p a r a t i o n s , but Fan sent up a memorial saying: 'The Tangtze R i v e r i s t h e moat o f heaven and has been a boundary l i n e since antiquity. 126 How w i l l the b a r b a r i a n army be a b l e to f l y a c r o s s ? " 1 , K ' a i Ming Shu Subsequently, the Ch'en dynasty S u i armies. was Chu, 2729-b. destroyed by the In Yang's time the Sung government s i m i - l a r l y depended on the Yangtze R i v e r as a n a t u r a l defense c. line. Yao-han i s the famous Han-ku Pass i n modern Honan p r o v i n c e , which f o r m e r l y was an Important pass pro- t e c t i n g the c e n t r a l r e g i o n i n Han A very and T'ang times. s m a l l f o r c e i n c o n t r o l of the pass could hold o f f a l a r g e army and p o s s e s s i o n of the pass was d e c i s i v e i n determining often the outcome of p o l i t i c a l s t r u g g l e s i n Chinese h i s t o r y . d. A s t r a t e g i c mountain l o c a t e d i n the Yangtze R i v e r west of Chenkiang i n modern Kiangsu p r o v i n c e . e. In other words, the enemy armies of the Chin T a r t a r s are f. On j u s t a c r o s s the the s u r f a c e the l a s t two thanking l i n e s seem to be merely the r i v e r god f o r making the weather good so t h a t the poet if river. the poet can c r o s s e a s i l y , but I t i s obvious can c r o s s so e a s i l y i n good weather, the enemy can c r o s s j u s t as e a s i l y and empire. that a t t a c k the Sung 127' °27-255b; 29- a; 172. A Kua-chou or Melon I s l a n d i s to the southwest of Yang-chou i n Kiangsu p r o v i n c e and was a s t r a t e g i c p o i n t i n the southern Sung dynasty. Pi-li i s another name f o r the n o r t h e r n Wei emperor T ' a i Wu of T i , who attempted to d e f e a t the Sung dynasty the North-south P e r i o d . He a t t a c k e d as f a r south as Kua-chou and then was defeated by the g e n e r a l Shen P'u~jkS-*JA - l i a n g i s the Chin emperor P e l T i , who l e d an exp e d i t i o n a g a i n s t the southern Sung i n 1161. Upon a t t e m p t i n g to c r o s s the Yangtze R i v e r a t T s ' a i - s h l h , he was defeated by the Sung navy and a s s a s s i n a t e d by his own troops i n a m i l i t a r y Yang's f o o t n o t e t o the poem: coup. A c c o r d i n g to " I n the h s l n - s s u y e a r (1161), Wan-yen L i a n g [ P e l T i ] came south r a i d i n g and b u i l t a tower f a c i n g the r i v e r . He was a s s a s s i n a t e d i n i t a c c o r d i n g to the l o c a l people." ! 27-255b; 29-4a; 173. SPPY has ^ obvious for of SPTK i n the f o u r t h l i n e , an error. In Sung times a b r i d g e was b u i l t on Yangtze Ford south of modern Yang-chou. F o r obvious reasons the b r i d g e was an important p o i n t i n the Chinese defences. 128 b;., In early not Chou t i m e s extend south Sung d y n a s t y of the area was s o u t h The s o u t h e r n s y s t e m whereby to t h e i r as a d i f f e r e n t "domains" s u r r o u n d e d rings. the country distance Each i n c r e a s e i n d i s t a n c e of f i v e h u n d r e d 11 was t a k e n tric territory domain o r f u i s a regions according from the c a p i t a l . these of the t r a d i t i o n a l t o an a n c i e n t was d i v i d e d i n t o culture did o f t h e H u a i R i v e r , so t h e s o u t h e r n t h e Chou k i n g s . reference of Chinese d i v i s i o n , so the c a p i t a l like A l t o g e t h e r t h e r e were n i n e domains, the n i n t h r e a c h i n g the l i m i t concen- of these, of Chinese civilization. c. Wang Tao and H s i e h Hsllaii were the eastern Chin dynasty North-south Period. two famous g e n e r a l s o f a t the beginning of the H s i e h Hsuan i s p a r t i c u l a r l y r e - nowned a s t h e commander o f t h e C h i n a r m i e s a t t h e battle o f F e i - s h u i where he d e f e a t e d b a r b a r i a n k i n g Fu Chien, conquest. s a v i n g China Yang i m p l i e s t h a t a l t h o u g h a. from barbarian everyone looks down upon t h e e a s t e r n C h i n a s a p e r i o d o f weakness, at had two famous g e n e r a l s least that dynasty Wang Tao and H s i e h H s l i a n . 112 the northern badly governed kills the great generals The Sung d y n a s t y such as i s so i t cannot produce g r e a t g e n e r a l s but i t has such a s Yueh P e l . 27-257a; 29-5b; 175T h i s l a k e i s i n t h e west o f K i a n g s u province. 129 b. Yang i s unhappy because he i s on the border between the Chin and Sung. c. Sang-kan i s the name of a r i v e r which r i s e s i n Shansi, passes to the southwest of Peking, and then e n t e r s the sea near T i e n t s i n . A t the time the area was occupied by the Chin f o r c e s , but f o r m e r l y i t had been on the northern f r o n t i e r . 1 1 3 1 1 Idem. ^ ' A l l f o u r of the men mentioned were famous g e n e r a l s a t a the beginning of the southern Sung and were g r e a t l y f e a r e d by the Chin. k'Both Chao Teng and Chang Chun became prime m i n i s t e r s i n 1135 d u r i n g the r e i g n of Kao Tsung, but they were removed from t h e i r h i g h p o s i t i o n s a f t e r Ch'in Kuel came to power. 5 28-26lb; 30-1b; 178. for a. Chiao Shan or Scorched i n the t i t l e . Mountain l i e s to the n o r t h - east of modern Chenkiang i n Kiangsu p r o v i n c e w h i l e Chin Shan or Metal Mountain i s opposite to the n o r t h west of Chenkiang. b. There a r e many d i f f e r e n t v e r s i o n s of what the three r i v e r s and f i v e l a k e s r e f e r t o , but here Yang means all of the sources of the Yangtze's water. 130 The nine lands are This l i n e to the and the nine l e v e l s t h e one s i g h t s and Monastery o r C h i n Shan S s u , worship A cup jade-boat necessarily be is very merely made o f two and jade. and Floating Intended period f o r him. J a d e i s an both. was wine i n the murdered by was end the h i s own defeated crossing. satires, important Sung, and by In the and we watered and presence of "ashamed" of ambassador should f o r the border to this look f o r a Metal Mountain defense C h i n emperor F e i T i had troops near the mountain of the been after t h e Sung n a v y w h i l e a t t e m p t i n g J u n g C h a i S u l P i we of the Shao-hsing horses more must k e e p i n mind message i n t h i s work. southern he However, we poem w h i l e he was are p o l i t i c a l extremely and i t The b e c a u s e many o f h i s poems o f deeper p o l i t i c a l not beauties of Metal Mountain, d o e s n o t d r i n k any C h i n , and would I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s i s t h a t Yang i s t h a t Yang wrote t h i s the centers times. possible interpretations, of these "sad" Mountain of the major the mountain, the mountain should f e e l him refer Mountain. d e s c r i b i n g the s i n c e he one i n Sung p o s s i b l e the poet superficial i t most l i k e l y I s a l a r g e w i n e cup name f o r M e t a l T h i s poem has underworld. s o u n d s o f t h e famed M e t a l of Buddhist old proceding of the read: p e r i o d , [ F e i T i ] herded them a t t h e R i v e r . "At a the his L a t e r , when 131 he d i e d of h i m s e l f [ i . e . , a t the hands of h i s t r o o p s ] , i t was decreed own that Ma-tang, T s ' a i - s h i h , and Metal Mountain should be i n v e s t e d as the three water strongholds ... At the time when Wan-yen L i a n g occupied the Huai R i v e r , . . . p r a y e r s were s a i d to the Great R i v e r that i f i t d i d not l e t the b a r b a r i a n s get a c r o s s , a memorial would be sent to Invest i t as a T i ['god']." Jung Chal S u l £ijj|. ^ See Hung ^ T a i p e i , 1955* v o l . 1, p. 93. up Maif^i^ » Commercial P r e s s , Thus, i t i s q u i t e l i k e l y that Yang i s making f u n of the i m p e r i a l c o u r t ' s impotence i n the f a c e of the enemy and the s t u p i d i t y of r e l y i n g on the " s p i r i t u a l power" of the Yangtze R i v e r and Metal Mountain to r e s i s t the Chin T a r t a r s . The danger to the n a t i o n would be even a g r e a t e r reason f o r M e t a l Mountain to be "ashamed" and l t 6 -4f C h a n g Tuan-yljjk. ^ i n Ts' ung Shu Chl Ch eng 1 » Kuei E r h Chi "If ^ c i a l P r e s s , Shanghai, 1937, cussed and 1 1 7 C C C , 81-675b. 1 l 8 S e e HTCTC, p. 4080. i n Robert "sad." ^ ')cjj J| , Commer- 45-a. The problem of i r o n money i s d i s - H a r t w e l l , "A R e v o l u t i o n i n the Chinese Coal I n d u s t r i e s During the Northern A s i a n S t u d i e s , no. 21 ^ (1961-62), pp. Iron Sung," The J o u r n a l of 153-162. 132 11 9CCC, 70-596. 120 3 8 - 3 5 8 b ; 39-1 a. 121 H T C T C , 4107-4108. 1 2 2 Ibid., 4109-4111. l 2 5 Ibid., 4125- 1 2 4 Ibld., 4118 l 2 5 Ibid., 4131. t 2 6 S S , 5595-b. 1 ?42-402b; 42-8b; 241. 2 i. T'ao Yuan-mlng or T'ao Ch'ien and Hsien Llng-ytin were the two most famous poets of the North-south P e r i o d . They e s p e c i a l l y appealed to Yang because they were i a r g e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the g r e a t I n t e r e s t i n nature i n l a t e r Chinese p o e t r y . 128 12q 38-359b; 39-2b. 4 2 _ 4 0 0 b ; 42-6b. 1304 _4Q . 2 0b 42-6b. T a i s h o Shlnshu DalzokyS l 5 1 M 4>\ 7\ $\ & ( a b b r e v i a t e d Taisho) l 3 l Mo Chi eh Suo Shuo Chlng gfe. ^ , no. 475, v o l . 14, p. 551-c r*\ 132 "Flowers" r e f e r t o b l u r r e d v i s i o n . H T C T C , 2214. I 5 3 lbid., 4216. 1 5 4 Ibid., 4241 . 1 5 5 SS, 5595b. 1364 _4 . 42-14a; 243. 2 07d 1 Tk 133 1 ^7A p h o t o g r a p h o f t h e tomb 1 5 8 HTCTC, 4269. 1 3 9 Ibid., 4275- l 4 o Luo T a - c h i n g Jjj. i n P i C h i Ha l a o A Ji i s contained i n YWLHC. . Ho L i n Y j L u ^ ^ ^ . Shuo Ta Kuan Hsfl P i e n ^ H s i n H s i n g S h u ChiH r e p r . £frj^.J^ ^ 4, p . 5, p . 2294a. l4l 38-360a; 39-2b. l 4 2 l 4 Ho L i n Yit L u , chuan 4, p . 5. 3i em. a f£>/> , Taipei, 2?J$^fo 1962, chuan Yang W a n - l i ' s In vate our study life, Theory of Poetry o f Yang W a n - l i ' s political we h a v e a l r e a d y touched upon t h e e x t r e m e of Ch'an B u d d h i s m t o h i s s p i r i t u a l In t h e f o l l o w i n g d i s c u s s i o n o f Yang's t h e o r y shall in certainly earlier in and l i t e r a r y s e e t h a t Ch'an B u d d h i s m p l a y e d forming h i s v i e w s on t h e w r i t i n g Chinese poets, development. of l i t e r a t u r e , an e q u a l l y i m p o r t a n t of poetry. b u t one e n c o u n t e r s the r e l a t i o n s h i p much C h i n e s e v e r s e , because t o any p a r t i c u l a r pret poetry we role B u d d h i s m was extreme inspired difficulties between B u d d h i s m and p o e t r y i n Chinese poets rarely school of philosophy. and f r e q u e n t l y i s . s u c h a n image a s f a l l i n g A r e we limited them- The g r e a t e s t c o n f u s i o n a r i s e s when we d e a l w i t h what a p p e a r s nature importance one o f t h e m a j o r p h i l o s o p h i c a l f o r c e s w h i c h defining selves c a r e e r and p r i - t o be p u r e justified to i n t e r - p l u m f l o w e r s a s a symbol of the impermanence o f s a m s a r a , o r a r e we r e a d i n g t o o much i n t o t h e poem when we make s u c h a n a s s e r t i o n ? gives us a n answer t o s u c h when p o e t s tical q u e s t i o n s , and o n l y composing " p o e t r y poems I n a f a i r l y picture poets started The C h i n e s e talks" poet rarely i n Sung times, and l i t e r a r y cri- l a r g e q u a n t i t y , c a n we g e t a v e r y of the views of poetry which the p r i n c i p a l clear Chinese held. Although the founders s e c t s had l i v e d Buddhism reached o f t h e v a r i o u s Ch'an i n t h e T'ang d y n a s t y , i n many r e s p e c t s Ch'an i t s h i g h p o i n t I n Sung t i m e s . 134 Buddhist One o f o u r 135 most important sources of Ch'an h i s t o r y , The Record of the T r a n s m i s s i o n of the Lamp of the Chlng Te Era {Chlng Te Ch'uan Lu)-<r Teng , was compiled about two most widely used kung-an ^ of the Green C l i f f respectively. c o l l e c t i o n s , The Records ( P i Yen Lu) ^ out a Gate (Wu Men K u a n ) ^ 1228, ^ 1004, whereas the ^ and the Pass ; J j'jtj Even the c o l l e c t e d With- , were w r i t t e n i n 1125 and sayings (yfl-lu) Sjfc of the T'ang masters were f r e q u e n t l y r e - e d i t e d by Sung w r i t e r s and q u i t e o f t e n d i d not r e c e i v e t h e i r f i n a l form u n t i l Sung times. Most important of a l l , i t was i n Sung times that Ch'an Buddhism deeply i n f l u e n c e d the i n t e l l e c t u a l and a r t i s t i c of the Chinese educated c l a s s e s and, thus, served as a s t i m u l u s to much of what was f i n e s t Su Shih ^ i n Chinese culture. (1036-1101), the foremost poet of the n o r t h e r n Sung dynasty, was s t r o n g l y ideas. life i n f l u e n c e d by Buddhist In a poem presented when sending o f f a Ch'an master, Su wrote of the i n t i m a t e c o n n e c t i o n between the Buddhist mystic a l experience and the c r e a t i o n of p o e t r y : If you want to make the words of your poetry miraculous, Don't d e s p i s e emptiness and t r a n q u i l i t y . When t r a n q u i l , you can comprehend the m u l t i t u d e of movements; Empty, you r e c e i v e the myriad realms. E x p e r i e n c i n g the world, you walk amidst men; Contemplating your body, you l i e on a cloudy range. . In s a l t y and sour are mixed a host of p r e f e r e n c e s , 136 But i n t h e i r middle Poetry and t h e dharma d o n ' t So I s h o u l d Su Shih's his there's a great f l a v o r , a s k yo'u a b o u t o b s t r u c t one these e m p h a s i s on e m p t i n e s s words. (sunyata) n o t i o n t h a t an u l t i m a t e u n i t y l i e s the world fically o f my are d e f i n i t e l y Ch'an. another, 1 and t r a n q u i l i t y behind and t h e phenomena o f i n s p i r a t i o n but not s p e c i - However, when he ways, "Good poems b u r s t o u t mouth, who theory of Buddhist everlasting of poetry can choose them?" 2 one s u s p e c t s that h i s h a s b e e n i n f l u e n c e d by t h e Ch'an n o t i o n o f spontaneity. Nevertheless, i t was not u n t i l the generation f o l l o w i n g Su S h i h t h a t t h e Ch'an B u d d h i s t closely linked definite was who to the p o e t i c c r e a t i v e process. ( d . 1135) definitely t h e same a s Ch'an Studying study Before seems was Su S h i h showed t o h a v e b e e n one o f t h e e a r l i e s t stated that the process of studying meditation: poetry, you should be l i k e one s t a r t i n g t o Ch'an: y o u a r e e n l i g h t e n e d , y o u must m e d i t a t e various But experience poets s i g n s o f Ch'an i n f l u e n c e , b u t one o f h i s p u p i l s Han C h l i J ^ j poets of on methods. one day when y o u a r e e n l i g h t e n e d to the true dharma e y e , Then t r u s t i n g y o u r h a n d , y o u draw i t o u t and a l l t h e stanzas a r e ready-made. 5 poetry 137 F u r t h e r , he i s supposed to have s a i d : "The Way of poetry i s l i k e the Buddha dharma, f o r i t ought to be separated i n t o great and s m a l l v e h i c l e s and a heterodox, the knowing can speak of t h i s . " Buddhist 4 demon e x t e r n a l path. Only In connection w i t h Han Chu's c o n c e p t i o n of p o e t r y , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note t h a t Su S h i h c o n s i d e r e d him to be c l o s e i n s t y l e to the T'ang poet Oh'u Kuang-hsl"^||j %J 4\ the c r i t i c Lu Pen-chung ^ , a Buddhist nature poet. >*• \j? ( c a . 1119) Later, i n c l u d e d Han Chu i n the K i a n g s i School of poets l e d by Huang T ' i n g - c h i e n , but Han h i m s e l f f i n a l l y d i s a g r e e d w i t h Lu's c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , and the Ch'an element i n h i s theory of poetry seems to j u s t i f y Han's o p i n i o n t h a t he d i f f e r e d from the K i a n g s i poets.5 Another n o r t h e r n Sung poet Wu K'ovjz ( c a . 1126) saw the poet's process of c r e a t i o n as s i m i l a r t o Ch'an e n l i g h t e n ment : Studying poetry i s e n t i r e l y l i k e s t u d y i n g the p r a c t i c e of Ch'an: The bamboo bed, the m e d i t a t i o n cushion, one can't count the y e a r s . F i n a l l y when you comprehend i t a l l y o u r s e l f , You e a s i l y draw I t f o r t h and are Here a g a i n we see the concept t h a t the c r e a t i o n of poetry i s a n a t u r a l a c t which becomes almost reached the l e v e l of Yang Wan-li's transcendant. e f f o r t l e s s a f t e r one has enlightenment. own development as a poet bears a marked 138 resemblance to the s p i r i t u a l progress of the T'ang and Sung p e r i o d s . of the great Ch'an masters Although t h e i r f i n a l ment i s u s u a l l y d e s c r i b e d as sudden, i t was ceded by r i g o r o u s d i s c i p l i n e and masters. enabled and study enlighten- frequently pre- under a number of F o r Yang, the path to the f i n a l enlightenment, which him to r i s e above the m e d i o c r i t y c r e a t e a new s t y l e , was of h i s y o u t h f u l verse as p a i n f u l as the Clr?an student's s u b j e c t i o n to the master's b e w i l d e r i n g paradoxes and irrational beatings: I first learned poetry from the gentlemen of K i a n g s i , f o l l o w i n g which I s t u d i e d the f i v e c h a r a c t e r r e g u l a t e d Then I s t u d i e d the seven c h a r a c t e r chueh-chu of Wang An-shih X ~£ and finally, But the more e f f o r t I made i n studying, the l e s s I wrote. I s t u d i e d chueh-chu from the T'ang p o e t s . Once I sighed about t h i s to L i n Kuang-ch'ao , and L i n s a i d , "When you carefully, i t is d i f f i c u l t do you choose so to o b t a i n t h i n g s , so expect your works not to be few?" s a y i n g , "Poets probably have d i f f e r e n t from the same source, and this!" -"jsz how I sighed 'diseases' s u r e l y I am not alone in Thus, from the s p r i n g of t l n g - y u i n the Ch'un-hsi p e r i o d (1177) a l l the way jen-wu (1162), I had w r i t t e n only f i v e hundred eighty-two poems; so few I went to my reached my back to the they were! and In the summer, p o s i t i o n i n Chlng-ch'i and post, I read l a w s u i t s and year as soon as I arranged the 139 l o c a l revenue, a s s o c i a t i n g only w i t h red and b l a c k i n k . Ideas f o r poems went back and f o r t h i n my b r e a s t from time to time, but although I wanted to w r i t e , I d i d n ' t have any l e i s u r e . I was On New Year's Day of wu-hsfl (1178), on v a c a t i o n and l a c k i n g o f f i c i a l wrote poetry on t h i s day. lightened Suddenly, business, I I was as i f en- (wu), and a t that moment, I took l e a v e of the T'ang poets, Wang An-shih, Oh'en S h i h - t a o , and all the gentlemen ;Of K i a n g s i and d i d n ' t dare to study any of them. my I was then very j o y f u l . I tried son h o l d the w r i t i n g brush w h i l e I o r a l l y s e v e r a l poems, and any having composed they came gushing f o r t h without of the p r e v i o u s g r i n d i n g . ^ 7 Again and a g a i n , we read of s i m i l a r experiences i n the Ch'an literature. The monk L i n g - y u ^ founders of the Kuei-yang 5 ^ age of f i f t e e n and (771-853), "j?^ one of the Sect l e f t h i s f a m i l y a t the spent e i g h t y e a r s " s t u d y i n g the s u t r a s and v l n a y a ( d i s c i p l i n e ) of the Great and Small V e h i c l e " b e f o r e he was 5 brought to sudden enlightenment by h i s master )L ' 8 the Y f l n - m e n ^ S i m i l a r l y Wen-yen x. /J (d.9^9), the founder of Sect, made an exhaustive study of the v l n a y a under under h i s f i r s t t e a c h e r Chih-ch'eng he reached sudden enlightenment In flj Pal-chang ^ before under h i s l a t e r master Mu-chou two poems w r i t t e n i n 1166, over ten y e a r s before h i s p o e t i c enlightenment, Yang touches on a number of the i d e a s 140 that became i m p o r t a n t poems a r e o f l i t t l e in a style imitative later literary Although s i n c e they these are s t i l l they written can serve as a c a n d i s c u s s t h e b a s i c i d e a s o f Yang's of poetry: In In value of the K i a n g s i poets, f r a m e w o r k w i t h i n w h i c h we theory i n h i s poetry. studying poetry Answer to L i T ' i e n - l i n one must be p e n e t r a t i n g and free; Then t r u s t i n g h i s hand, one i s l o n e and e x a l t e d . The r o b e And In and b e g g i n g a hill your o r mountain i s j u s t own lines—"the Beyond w o r d s , y o u r What t h e n Frosty crab with a l i t t l e The dharma of poetry All i s add y o u r Finally I want to share hair. grass"; a like? wine i s hard own cedar e n l i g h t e n e d , how [i.e., dregs. f o r h e a v e n t o keep we labor. tree; 0 is i t still t h e e a s t o r west a peach f l o w e r ? jade w i t h d you a r e a s f a r a p a r t a s t h e n o r t h and s o u t h Are you w i l l i n g t o come and t a l k s i t a s i d e on a w h i t e the f i r s t secret; a wine c u p ] , But We'll p o o l has i s the d e l i c i o u s y o u do one eyes a r e a l l i n d i s o r d e r . ^ When i n m e d i t a t i o n — a In bowl a r e t i m e l e s s , two l i n e s this seagull of our f i r s t over with sandbank.^ shores. me? 01 poem, Yang i s s a y i n g t h a t 141 once the poet i s e n l i g h t e n e d , i . e . , " p e n e t r a t i n g and f r e e , " o b t a i n s h i s own nature. independent s t y l e which comes to him as i f by We have a l r e a d y noted that Yang found w r i t i n g more n a t u r a l a f t e r he had been e n l i g h t e n e d and was pendent on h i s o l d masters. Now no l o n g e r de- the w r i t i n g of poetry i s c a n a t u r a l a c t that the poet h i m s e l f cannot control: Prom t h i s time on, every a f t e r n o o n when the had d i s p e r s e d and the c o u r t y a r d was a f a n and paced i n the back garden. officials empty, I c a r r i e d Ascending a n c i e n t c i t y w a l l , I gathered l y s i u m and mum he or p u l l e d a t f l o w e r s and bamboos. the chrysanthe- The myriad phenomena came t o me and presented me w i t h p o e t i c material. Although I would wave them away, they wouldn't l e a v e me. Before I had time to r e q u i t e those i n f r o n t , the ones from behind were a l r e a d y p r e s s i n g me.*' 1 The i d e a t h a t , a f t e r a poet i s e n l i g h t e n e d , poetry comes to him o f i t s e l f without any s p e c i a l e f f o r t i s f o r c e f u l l y expressed i n a l a t e r poem of Yang's w r i t t e n i n R e f i n i n g l i n e s , how 1190: could one be without f u r n a c e and mallet? But a l i n e Is not completed e n t i r e l y because T h i s o l d f e l l o w doesn't hunt f o r the p o e t r y ; The poetry comes h u n t i n g f o r h i m ! 12 of them. 142 Thus, but the poet must go t h r o u g h a t r y i n g once he h a s p a s s e d writing of verse The refers the master's symbolized line of the f i r s t teaching a r c h Hui-neng Southern the ^ \\ School any mention t h a t Hui-neng down t h e r o b e . " 1 3 student be represented i h e to l a t e r flower to h i s d i s c i p l e s , Concerning (1184-1260), a u t h o r Yellow-faced this master of the of poetry, i s no need t o hand o f t h e dharma f r o m which could o f a robe or pegging not by b e i n g the only bowl. h i s sole d i s c i p l e to ij^ jJp says: Gautama, a c t i n g a s i f t h e r e into trans- by s h o w i n g a s t o r y , t h e Sung monk H u i - k ' a i o f t h e Wu Men Kuan teacher adequately Buddha f i r s t t o Mahakasyapa merely people we of the upon w h i c h M a h a k a s y a p a p r o v e d n e a r h i m , f o r c e d good about t o t r a n s m i t h i s robe to there process of the teaching patri- what Y a n g w r i t e s Ch'an t r a d i t i o n , t h e Ch'an t e a c h i n g understanding to the s i x t h " t h e r o b e may n o t be handed transmission by t h e g i f t begging of the robe i s on t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e v e r s e mitted smile. refused claiming that was a m y s t e r i o u s According f^. In l i n e with pupil, the master's (638-713), t h e f i r s t P a t r i a r c h , Bodhidharma, then to enlightened with by Hung-Jen . . . I f y o u depend First of t r a n s m i t t i n g o f t r a n s m i t t i n g t h e method of h i s d i s c i p l e s , down tradition the student o f Ch'an. impossibility should poem " I n A n s w e r t o L l T ' i e n - The most famous t r a n s m i s s i o n secret transmission "refining," of l e a r n i n g , the to a p a r t i c u l a r l y by p r e s e n t i n g of n a t u r a l a c t f o r him. t o t h e Ch'an B u d d h i s t b o w l and r o b e . the the stage i s an e n t i r e l y third lin" beyond period were no one s l a v e r y , and h a n g i n g 143 up a sheep's head, s o l d dog meat i n s t e a d , t h i n k i n g extraordinary had t h i s was. smiled, then how But i f at that time everybody could he have t r a n s m i t t e d t r e a s u r e of the t r u e dharma eye, had not smiled, how the or i f Mahakas"yapa could he have t r a n s m i t t e d t r e a s u r e of the true dharma eye? I f he the says there i s a t r a n s m i s s i o n of the true dharma eye, then t h a t yellow-faced country bumpkins. then why old geezer would be cheating But i f he says there i s no transmission, d i d he approve of Mahakasyapa alone? * 1 4 H u i - k ' a i agrees with Hul-neng that the Ch'an student become attached to any should not p a r t i c u l a r method or teacher, f o r the s e c r e t s of Ch'an cannot be t r a n s m i t t e d Yang uses these how i n such a way. ideas developed by the Ch'an as a d e v i c e to a t t a c k the t h o u g h t l e s s so popular told s t r u g g l e d i n h i s youth to r i d h i m s e l f of the i n - he f l u e n c e of the K i a n g s i poets, and the few w r i t e r s who was Yang has at t h i s time he was opposed to the i m i t a t i o n of K i a n g s i s t y l e represented (1045-1105)• age. earlier poets t h a t was us how i n h i s own i m i t a t i o n of Buddhists most prominently by Huang already one of the T'ing-chlen I n c r e a s i n g l y from the time of Su Shih onwards, the Sung poets had been moving away from the natural simplicity of the e a r l i e r n o r t h e r n Sung poets such as Ou-yang H s i u %X f|) (1007-1072) and Mel Y a o - c h ' e n J ^ (1002-1060) to a more a r t i f i c i a l poetry t e n s i v e use comparatively of l i t e r a r y a l l u s i o n and c h a r a c t e r i z e d by c a r e f u l p o l i s h i n g of C/£ exthe 144 poetic line, jjti- a s a and t h e l a t e r poets s e t up t h e T'ang p o e t model f o r i m i t a t i o n . Tu P u Huang T ' i n g - c h i e n h i m s e l f wrote: To c r e a t e words o n e s e l f i s most d i f f i c u l t . When Tu P u w r o t e p o e t r y o r Han Y u w r o t e p r o s e , n o t one c h a r a c t e r was without a source. I t i s p r o b a b l y because men r e a d few b o o k s t h a t they t h e s e words t h e m s e l v e s . who were s k i l l e d said though they Han o r T u c r e a t e d Those men o f a n c i e n t I n l i t e r a t u r e were t r u l y r e f i n i n g and s m e l t i n g t h e m y r i a d later times capable of manifestations. A l - t o o k t h e a n c i e n t s ' o l d t a l k and made i t e n t e r t h e i r b r u s h and i n k , i t was l i k e a pill m a g i c e l i x i r w h i c h c o u l d t o u c h i r o n and change of the i t to g o l d . 15 Thus, w i t h t h e K i a n g s i poets matter o f "making t h e o l d i n t o To such a view I am ashamed For the writing o f p o e t r y became a t h e new." o f l i t e r a t u r e , Yang retorted: o f t h o s e who t r a n s m i t s e c t s and s c h o o l s , e a c h a u t h o r h a s h i s own i n d i v i d u a l Don't r e s t your f e e t and Huang T i n g - c h i e n ' s 1 Ch'en S h i h - t a o ' s f e n c e ; S t i c k y o u r head and beneath style. Hsieh o u t beyond Ling-yun! T 6 ; the ranks o f T'ao Yuan-mlng 145 This i s n o t t o say t h a t Yang was opposed the a n c i e n t s . lightenment stage, We have a l r e a d y only a f t e r t o a l l i m i t a t i o n of s e e n how he a c h i e v e d studying e a r l i e r poets. h i s own e n - In the l e a r n i n g i t was q u i t e p e r m i s s i b l e t o s e t up a p a r t i c u l a r o n e ' s m o d e l a s l o n g a s one d i d n o t become " a t t a c h e d " model. A f t e r Yang W a n - l i abandoned poet as to that the K i a n g s i poets, Huang T ' i n g - c h l e n and Ch'en S h i h - t a o , he i m i t a t e d Wang A n - s h i h , and in l a t e r years On t h e boat After It's I the only not that t h i s o l d f e l l o w doesn't s i n c e one c a n n o t one w i s h e s t o r e a c h f u l l should e a t i n the morning, Wang But 1 7 become a t t a c h e d enlightenment, t o Wang An-shih he h a s t o p a s s enables me t o m e d i t a t e a r e t h e T'ang p o e t s — o n e more even p a s s Upon f i r s t An-shih. from poets: A f t e r Wang A n - s h i h There s t i l l poets: i s poetry; I r e a d Wang t a k e Wang's chtieh-chU f o r b r e a k f a s t ! Wang t o t h e T'ang One t h i n g t o k e e p me a l i v e r e a d i n g t h e T'ang p o e t s , Nevertheless, if he p r e f e r r e d Wang t o o t h e r n o r t h e r n Sung beyond receiving t h e T'ang instruction and p e n e t r a t e , barrier! ^ 1 poets I meditated under An-shih, i n t h e end, I e n t r u s t e d m y s e l f to the l a t e T'ang F r o m them t h e Kuo F e n g i s n o t f a r away; When y o u ' v e g r a s p e d t h e mechanism i t ' s s i m p l e . '9 1 poets. 146 According beyond t o t h e Wu Men the b a r r i e r s process of Kuan, " t o r e a l i z e of the p a t r i a r c h s . " Ch'an i l l u m i n a t i o n obtained Ch'an m a s t e r s as a m e t a p h o r f o r t h e the poet ing o f one is not a t t a i n s h i s own the study of s i m i l a r process illumination g o a l , f o r as must by t h e Wu Men pass Thus, Yang u s e s 2 0 by p o e t i c master a f t e r another. the f i n a l Ch'an one the the whereby mastering the The of masters Kuan f u r t h e r teaches study teach- us: The g r e a t Way Yet thousands of roads Once one He has passed too, f r e e s himself individual You ask T h e r e ' s no The result earlier poetry he As this barrier, between h e a v e n and earth. " beyond of h i s m a s t e r s , the b a r r i e r 2 1 i m i t a t i o n s and Yang h i m s e l f dharma, no b o w l , and i s t h a t he as a continuous o f one he, creates his explains: no robe I 2 2 o f Yang's u n w i l l i n g n e s s t o become a t t a c h e d In the preface say s: enter i t . what t h e dharma o f good p o e t r y i s ; poetic style tired gates, of h i s e a r l i e r style. me no penetrated walks alone When t h e p o e t own has has process s t y l e , he to any came t o v i e w t h e w r i t i n g o f of development,, and longed as soon as t o move on t o newer g r o u n d . o f h i s c o l l e c t i o n Nan Hal C h i Yang All my life I have loved to w r i t e p o e t r y . At first I loved i t , but l a t e r I d e s p i s e d i t . By the jen-wu y e a r of the Shao-hsing changed and again. iod I was p e r i o d (1162) my poetry d e l i g h t e d , but soon d e s p i s e d i t By the keng-yin y e a r of the Oh'ien-tao per- (1170) my poetry changed a g a i n , and by the t l n g - y u year of the Ch'un-hsi p e r i o d (1177), poetry my changed once more . . . When L i u Huan of Oh'ao-yang was governor requested from me of Ch'ing-yuan county, a so-called he C o l l e c t i o n of the South Seas (Nan Hal Chi) of f o u r hundred poems. By the time I saw him a g a i n i n the c a p i t a l , L i u r e quested him. i t u n f l a g g i n g l y and Alas! c o n t i n u e my not. I was a b l e to g i v e i t to I am a l r e a d y o l d and I don't know, i f I present p o e t r y , whether I can change or Yu Mou used to say to me, your poems change, they advance." but I don't know i f they s t i l l My "Each time poems can change, can advance. o t h e r day when I see t h i s c o l l e c t i o n , w i l l l i g h t e d w i t h i t or w i l l When i n 1190 ^ My X I despise it? he prefaced h i s c o l l e c t i o n if 2 this de- Ch'ao T ' l e n Hsu Chi Yang wrote: Ch'eng-ta y^J poetry had I be 3 e l d e s t son Chang-ju showed i t to the two Pan Some A» and Yu Mou changed a g a i n , although myself. "^ 2 who gentlemen thought my I wasn't aware of 148 All throughout striving Yang's work we t o change and c u l a r master The or last translated never see a r e s t l e s s two above b e c o m i n g a t t a c h e d t o any lines of the f i r s t u n t i l we realize of t r u e poetry to " f r o s t y refers t o t h e famous d o c t r i n e (837-908). p o e t s and the l a t e Sung p o e t s . held the parti- poem we not comparison c r a b " cooked T'ang c r i t i c have seem t o of beyond o f extreme i m p o r t a n c e Su S h i h and to Master the i n "wine d r e g s " flavor" S s u - k ' u n g T ' U E ] :L I n h i g h r e g a r d by In h i s " L e t t e r S s u - k ' u n g T'u that of the " f l a v o r T h i s d o c t r i n e was was critical ("In Answer t o L i T ' i e n - l i n " ) do flavor by forever style. make much s e n s e advanced mind /§ to later other northern L i Discussing Poetry" writes: Prose is difficult, but p o e t r y There have been many m e t a p h o r s f o r t h i s f r o m a n c i e n t t o modern t i m e s , b u t in "flavor" I t h i n k one b e f o r e one south of the r i v e r s are not sour, but further. isn't Or salty, and further. That to r e l i e v e [eating i t i s merely sourness, s o u r and of b r i n e , o f Hua t h e i r hunger but and To sustenance. i t i s not they a r e merely them] i s b e c a u s e saltiness s e r v e as of p i c k l e s , t h e men discerning mountains [South China] i n the case but must be difficult. can d i s c u s s p o e t r y . a r e many t h i n g s w h i c h w i l l example, i n t h e c a s e i s even more salty that For these that i t nothing [ n o r t h e r n e r s ] use theft immediately t h e y know t h a t there nothing i t i s not and the desist beyond they are d e f i c i e n t these their i n what i s 1 49 p u r e and d e l i c i o u s . mountains not T h a t t h e men o f t h e r i v e r s and [ t h e s o u t h e r n e r s ] a r e used t o them and c a n - discriminate [them f r o m o t h e r f o o d ] i s u n d e r - standable .' 5 2 Later of i n t h e same l e t t e r , S s u - k ' u n g poetry by s a y i n g he "knows t h e e x c e l l e n c e Yang a p p l i e d study Ssu-k'ung L i ' s knowledge beyond flavor." T'u's c o n c e p t t o a l l s c h o l a r l y i n general: In reading flavor. flavor b o o k s , one must know o f t h e f l a v o r One who d o e s n o t know o f t h e f l a v o r and s a y s , " I can read poem o f t h e Kuo F e n g thistle purse." obtains eating not states, beyond beyond b o o k s , " i s wrong. "Who A says that the i s b i t t e r ? / I t i s sweet a s t h e s h e p h e r d ' s I t a k e t h i s a s my method f o r r e a d i n g When one e a t s This T'u p r a i s e s the b i t t e r e s t the sweetest t h i n g thing books. u n d e r h e a v e n , he under heaven. The a c t o f i s t h e same i n men, b u t what i s o b t a i n e d i s t h e same! 26 I d e a c a n be s p e c i f i c a l l y a p p l i e d As f o r t h e poems o f t h e K i a n g s i Kiangsi to poetry: school, the poetry i s [ s t y l e ] , but not a l l of the poets [ o f t h i s school] are from Kiangsi. What do I mean by " t h e poets are not a l l from K i a n g s i , b u t t h e poems a r e 1 50 Kiangsi?" am I am I joining joining them a l l t o g e t h e r . them t o g e t h e r ? t h e i r form. Su S h i h s a i d , lichee," "Tu F u ' s and J^L him book." at that swer h i m time f o r they fused. I f we speak of f o r m [ H s i e h Y i and the Hsieh's j^j ; the Shih-ch'uan similar and is and different are not are n a t u r a l l y similar and similar for the Hung to the two f$ JJJL t h r e e Hung's Ch'u]?^ similar t o Hsfl » < i Hsu* F u i s not a n but from s i m i l a r i t i e s and too! con- Kao- to the K'o]J^j^_ nothing else. cooking a r i s e s S o u r and salty l^if^ the same h a n d . This are seafood the m i r a c l e of com- are seasoning One can d i s s i m i l a r i t i e s , but seek one can 2 7 i s t r u e w i t h many o f t h e criticism, and t o S h a n - k u [Huang T ' i n g - c h i e n ] . and them are n o t h i n g more, t h r e e Hung's a r e n o t delicacies, anare of s t y l e d i f f e r e n t l y , w h i l e m o u n t a i n and forget still t o Ch'en Hou-Shan [ C h ' e n S h i h - t a o ] fj^ flavor As and [Hsfl F u ] 4% even l e s s bined heard o f t h o s e who so t h e y i s not Hsieh [Hung P'eng, Hung Yen, >/x Ch'ien's -Hz. Ho] |Jq 4") Hsieh's people the f l a v o r s i m i l a r i t y i n form [Kao today, the f a u l t discuss Tzu-mlen Ssu-ma the w h i l e p r e t e n d i n g to reject "k not mussel i s l i k e o n l y were t h o s e who confused T h i s i s not confused, two "The i n agreement, but confused. With t h e i r f l a v o r , poems a r e l i k e Not W i t h what i t i s quite d i f f i c u l t concepts of Chinese to d e f i n e the literary e x a c t meaning of 151 the i d e a " f l a v o r beyond f l a v o r " and Tang Wan-li, flavor and y e t T a n g ' s c o n t r a s t o f outward g i v e s us a h i n t as Tang's i d e a of a f l a v o r to the es yet t e r m s and the poet can beyond f o r m meant. "flavor" cannot o n l y be i s only an pinned Then what i s p o e t r y ? who o f words and that who meaning. ing, one But sweets? they taste left?" At f i r s t they slandered like Duke Su, are As f o r b i t t e r i t s sweetness i s just ex- that one "But else." I but I say then? tea? Duke Su Formerly "Have i n the tea, people him, is Poetry, when Duke satirized end, a l l com- i t s bitterness i s incomparable. this." still doesn't sweet, but before mean- t h a t when I say, Who say the meaning, the p o e t r y where i s t h e p o e t r y the but ac- intuited d o e s away w i t h words and of i t s b i t t e r n e s s exhausted, too, when one sour. I say stress- explained: does away w i t h ever t a s t e d sweets or b i t t e r like be " I t i s the nothing i s good a t p o e t r y "But objected words, but Tang d o e s away w i t h w o r d s . d o e s away w i t h words and plain I t m i g h t be else." t h e n where i s t h e p o e t r y exists. you nothing akin i s inexpressible i n down o r r a t i o n a l l y e x t o l s t h e meaning and one speaking, e x t e r n a l a p p e a r a n c e and [some s a y : ] i s good a t p o e t r y t h e n he and T'u with i s closely o f t h e poem i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n be p r e c i s e l y tolling intuited. form Generally i n poetry i s a p r i s o n e r of form t h a t p o e t i c form tual t o what he Ch'an c o n t e n t i o n t h a t u l t i m a t e t r u t h rational that i n the w r i t i n g s of Ssu-k'ung Pao today, and 152 i f we l o o k a t h i s poem, there a r e no words of s a t i r e , and we can't see the meaning of h i s s a t i r e . He wrote: "Two men f o l l o w each other/Who has made t h i s d i s a s t e r ? " When he caused Duke Pao to hear of t h i s [Duke Pao t h o u g h t ] , "He has not even r e f e r r e d to me but i f i t i s n ' t me, then who i s i t ? " Gh the o u t s i d e he d i d n ' t dare be angry, but i n s i d e , he was d y i n g of shame. The second of the two e a r l y l i t e r a r y 28 c r i t i c a l poems of Yang which we t r a n s l a t e d above, i s not so r i c h i n concepts as the f i r s t , but i t s f i r s t line, "The dharma of poetry i s hard f o r Heaven to keep s e c r e t , " i s d e r i v e d from one of the key concepts of Ch'an Buddhism. The Ch'an s c h o o l s t r e s s e s that there i s n o t h i n g s e c r e t about the Buddhist t e a c h i n g s , f o r once a person has l i f t e d the v e i l of i l l u s i o n , there i s no mystery left. With regard to the supposedly s e c r e t t r a n s m i s s i o n of the dharma from Buddha to Mahakasyapa, the T'ang Ch'an Master Tao-ying ^Jj^ ^ (d.901) s a i d : " I f you don't understand, i t remains a s e c r e t of the World Honored One, but i f you do understand, i t becomes the unkept s e c r e t of Mahakasyapa." ' 29 Fo-kuo /'^ / ? (d.1135) commented, "The Tathagata had a s e c r e t , but Mahakasyapa d i d not keep i t ; that Mahakasyapa d i d not keep the s e c r e t was the Buddha's r e a l s e c r e t . What i s not kept s e c r e t i s a s e c r e t , but what i s kept s e c r e t i s not a secret." ®' When Yang Wan-li 3 was awakened, he wrote: Suddenly, I d i d n ' t f e e l the d i f f i c u l t y poetry. of w r i t i n g I t was probably because the poet's " d i s e a s e " 153 was about to leave my body. At t h i s time, not only did I not f e e l the d i f f i c u l t y of w r i t i n g poetry, but a l s o I d i d not f e e l the d i f f i c u l t y of b e i n g a magistrate. The next year on the l a s t when my replacement and tried in a total came, I matched t a l l i e s to l e a v e to c o l l e c t my manuscripts together. With- of f o u r t e e n months, I had w r i t t e n f o u r hundred and ninety-two to of the second month poems. I have not yet dared show them to anyone, but t h i s year when I f i l l e d a post as a p u b l i c bureau o f f i c i a l , my old friend Chung.Chiang-chih sent a l e t t e r from the Huai R i v e r to me w r i t i n g : governor. ing, Formerly, but the present you had no d i f f i c u l t y i n govern[replacement's] difficulties Why p u b l i s h your poems from Ching-ch'i?" With one When Yi-hsttan don't you laugh, sent them to him. 3-1 ^ , the founder Ch an Buddhism, was , he was of C h l n g - c h ' l changed i t s w i l l be more than ten times g r e a t e r . I copied and of "Recently beaten of the L i n - c h i j ^ ^ Sect s t u d y i n g under the master Huang-po three times, having asked the Buddha's t e a c h i n g s . But a f t e r he had l i g h t e n e d , he s t a t e d to Ta-yfl "K $1 the t r u e meaning been f u l l y en- , "There i s n o t h i n g much 'NT to Buddha's t e a c h i n g . " 32 n o t h i n g mysterious One similarly, to Yang Wan-li there was or d i f f i c u l t about the w r i t i n g of p o e t r y . of the most s t r i k i n g p r o o f s that Yang d i d not con- s i d e r the c r e a t i o n of poetry to be d i f f i c u l t i s the tremendous number of poems he wrote, over four:.thousand two hundred, second only 1210). to h i s contemporary When one compares t h i s poems, a t most, p r e s e r v e d poetry collections, pecially his when we We c a u s e he had the f i f t e e n that his of time t h a t Yang b u r n e d 1162, to preceding onward, Yang was face he deeply r e m a i n e d w i t h him more t h a n two ticed poetry, already eighty-two concerned had (1162) thousand and thirty- with the Nan Hai his l i f e C h i , he to the present, one my q u a n t i t y Of imitation poems i n t h e and 1182 h i s e l d e s t son, to continual i n the proudly 1184, he he Ch'ao T ' l e n Chlj^j C h a n g - j u begged me any poetry not practice for three years will I said, ritual, one decay. then in did not C h a n g - j u , must h a v e no- preface (1188): saying, "Father, you f o r a l o n g time, Somewhat s t a r t l e d poetry X ^ alto- was h i s f a t h e r ' s r e s t l e s s n e s s f o r Yang w r i t e s i n h i s the pre- writes: poems a r e hundred.When from be- From discarded his throughout of poems i n Yang's o b s e s s i o n w i t h mourning f o r h i s mother's death w r i t e any was wrote f o u r hundred ninety-two "From t h e y e a r j e n - w u es- h i s p o e t i c enlightenment. to h i s f o u r t h c o l l e c t i o n , gether i n T'ang g r e a t l y dismayed hundred s p a c e o f f o u r t e e n months. creativity to when he p o e t i c p r o d u c t i o n , f o r a f t e r he short s e v e r a l hundred over a thousand Y a n g was written "only" f i v e e a r l i e r poets, yfy i t i s , Indeed, a s t a g g e r i n g f i g u r e , realize years Lu Y u ^ ; number t o t h e s e e n t h a t i n 1177 have friend f o r i n d i v i d u a l authors poems w r i t t e n p r e v i o u s five. and 1 54 (1125- so now you have n o t can w r i t e " I f f o r three years ritual will be some." one does r u i n e d , and does not 'compose' poems, I t would be best written then to f o l l o w your if advice." On t h a t day I started to make a d r a f t on the s u b j e c t of the c h i n - s h l h examination. On the twenty- seventh called duty. I was a post and was Ten days l a t e r , I s t a r t e d c a p i t a l and felt presented on my to my journey to the I only wrote some twenty odd poems, but I they were somewhat awkward and d i d not convey my meaning, because I probably had not f o r g o t t e n my sorrow yet Yang recovered forms us: to q u i c k l y , f o r i n a p r e f a c e w r i t t e n i n 1190 "Prom the year jen-wu (1162) to now, three thousand poems i n a l l of my he i n - there are c l o s e seven c o l l e c t i o n s . " " 3 5 A p p a r e n t l y , many l a t e r c r i t i c s d i d not agree w i t h Yang's c o n c e p t i o n of poetry as something simple f o r the e n l i g h t e n e d , for many of them attacked what they considered the e x c e s s i v e q u a n t i t y of poetry which Yang preserved i n h i s complete works. T y p i c a l of these c r i t i c s i s the Ch'ing poet Yeh H s l e h ^ who ^ wrote: C o l l e c t i o n s of poetry and prose which emphasize quantity w i l l n e c e s s a r i l y be bad. The i m p e r i s h a b l e works worthy to be handed down from the a n c i e n t s are not so because of quantity. |^ poems of Su Wu ^ ~jf\^ and w i l l l a s t f o r a thousand ages. Men of l a t e r The few times g r a d u a l l y p r i z e d and Po C h u - y i ^ l L i Ling q u a n t i t y , and Yuan Chen -7\ji^. w i t h t h e i r C o l l e c t i o n of the Ch'ang Ch' i n g P e r i o d (Ch'ang Ch' i n g Chi) were the f i r s t to 156 "overflow the goblet." Within sixty or with seventy sixty thirty per cent. I f they o r seventy per cent, per cent l e f t famous w o r k s . these one rich . . . I f we v i e w i t way, what use i s t h e r e i n q u a n t i t y ? ^ only a poet's early d i d not agree "masterpieces" are significant, showed t h e famous p o e t should poetry Prom t h e c o n c e p t f o r when Yu Mou a f e w l i n e s be ot one f o r m only? from What a shame t h a t Ch'an t e a c h i n g i s n o t h i n g or mysterious, of t h e e n l i g h t e n e d man do n o t d i f f e r f r o m one c a n l o g i c a l l y conclude I n t h e Wu Men Kuan we r e a d : 'What i s t h e Way o r d i n a r y mind miraculous firewood."'39 like?' i s t h e Way. V"®' 5 w r o t e i n a poem a p p r o v e d and view them!" 3 7 burned ch'tian, with this p o e t r y w h i c h he had b u r n e d , Y u Mou s i g h e d and r e - "Why man. Of what two w r o t e , t h e r e i s h a r d l y one poem o r e v e n Yang W a n - l i ary i n poems, and Chou P i - t a . O b v i o u s l y , Yang's c o n t e m p o r a r i e s you the twenty o r Of t h e Sung a u t h o r s l i n e t h a t c a n be a p p r o v e d this plied, had done away would a l l be o u t s t a n d i n g and none exce.eded Yang W a n - l i the collection] t h a t w h i c h i s d e c a d e n t and v u l g a r c o m p r i s e s this that [this that the a c t i v i t i e s those of the o r d i n - "Chao-chou asked Han- Nan-ch'uan a n s w e r e d , 'The - jj. The T'ang l a y m a n P'ang by h i s m a s t e r : function are l i k e Similarly, difficult 1toa^f,&. " S p i r i t penetration c a r r y i n g w a t e r and m o v i n g t h e p o e t who h a s r e a c h e d s t a g e need n o t s e a r c h o u t h i s themes i n u n u s u a l the highest of abstruse 157 subjects, but f i n d s h i s t o p i c s f o r poetry We h a v e a l r e a d y poetry yard d u r i n g h i s spare himself the themes time. i n h i s study, merely walking One d o e s n o t w r i t e and o r d i n a r y To poetry by l o c k a l l of required: appoint them; dis- a the r a i n ' s aspect are i n t h e back- t r a v e l provides Mountain t h o u g h t s and r i v e r f e e l i n g s don't For objects. s e e n t h a t when Y a n g had awakened, he f o u n d came t o h i m n a t u r a l l y w h i l e ing i n ordinary and t h e c l e a r w e a t h e r ' s manner always wonderful. c l o s e y o u r d o o r and h u n t f o r l i n e s method i s not the of poetry; O n l y when y o u ' r e t r a v e l i n g do t h e l i n e s come o f themselves.^O Since of itself poetry through ordinary l e s s and n a t u r a l . influence of i s not the r e s u l t of intense experiences, How much t h e c u l t effort t h e i d e a l poem i s a r t - o f t h e unadorned was t h e o f Ch'an B u d d h i s m o r o f even more a n c i e n t the Chinese is difficult t o s a y , b u t Yang h i m s e l f a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r the simple description and u n a d o r n e d . of a small r u r a l and comes tendencies had a T y p i c a l i s Yang's i n n he s t o p p e d a t d u r i n g one o f h i s journeys: When I g e t o f f my p a l a n q u i n Opening i t s door, Inside there's I arrive I find a new i n n ; a t a small a s i n g l e yew t a b l e , strong side-room, 1 58 And two r u s h mats f a c i n g The r a f t e r each bamboos a r e g r e e n other, with t h e i r joints remaining; The e a v e s ' I rushes the still h a v e b u t one r e g r e t a b o u t Where t h e p a p e r s Everything white, were bearing t h e i r roots. the b r i g h t joined, i t s t i l l i n t h e s m a l l room i s c o m p l e t e l y scar l e f t by g l u i n g p a p e r s window— has a s c a r . a 4 1 n a t u r a l except f o r t o g e t h e r t o make a window p a n e . Such an o r d i n a r y a c t i v i t y a s s u n n i n g h i s c l o t h e s made Y a n g write: A t h i g h n o o n I s u n my c l o t h e s , i n the a f t e r n o o n fold them up; In a cloth-covered willow basket My w i f e and c h i l d r e n "Who i n the world of themselves even i n j e s t , idea a s on t h e same l e v e l w i t h there?" 4 2 common servants i n harmony even w h i l e living with the i n com- and n a t u r a l n e s s . many o f Yang's c o n t e m p o r a r i e s love of s i m p l i c i t y d i d not agree with i n p o e t r y , and t h e e n t i r e K i a n g s i g r o u p , a g a i n s t whom Yang had r e v o l t e d opposed servant over b u t Y a n g ' s poem i s c o m p l e t e l y simplicity However, another. o f Y a n g ' s p e r i o d wp.uld h a v e l i k e d t o t h a t one c a n be a c r e a t i v e p o e t plete his l a u g h and a s k one i s that bare-footed Pew g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s think I c a r r y them b a c k home. t o Yang's a r t l e s s n e s s . i n h i s youth, stood diametrically I n two poems w r i t t e n i n p r a i s e 159 of the both northern criticized vanced Sung p o e t the h i s theory Chang L e l J ^ a t t i t u d e o f Huang T ' l n g - c h i e n of the naturalness I n f r o n t o f Huang T ' l n g - c h i e n , speak of And later, He would h a v e f o u n d one had two they verse: "rinsing to the well," works, but what that! h i s group only knew enough c l e v e r t u r n of phrase o r were i n c a p a b l e treasure" h i s complete another n a t u r a l treasure, i s t h a t Huang and Chang's p o e t r y . "natural madel[Huang] read [Huang] know o f praise a particularly that ad- flowers." If Yang's p o i n t also [Chang L e i ] d a r e d [Huang] h i g h l y p r a i s e d h i s l i n e s did of o f good and poetry, "sweeping but ( 1 0 5 2 - 1 1 1 2 ) , Yang of g r a s p i n g the usage o f "natural words, treasure" T h a t Y a n g meant Chang's a r t l e s s n e s s i s made even c l e a r e r i n t h e first to of by the poems: Lately I've being He come t o l o v e the Pat I m m o r t a l ' s poems f o r so n a t u r a l ; never embroidered or painted, much l e s s carved or engraved. Spring flowers, autumn moon, t h e w i n t e r ' s I n e v e r h e a r s t a l e words f r o m him, I i c e and j u s t h e a r naturae ! I n o t h e r w o r d s , Chang L e i c h o s e h i s themes f r o m t h e j e c t s a r o u n d him and d i d not snow; engage i n g a t h e r i n g 4 natural stale words 3 ob- 160 from o l d b o o k s and s t r i n g i n g them t o g e t h e r w i t h Among t h e p o e t s and c r i t i c s Yang W a n - l i , around t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t inspired z>%^ I^J. Y e n by Ch'an i d e a s was Yen Y t f J ^ SJ=J 1200), author of the highly Hua influential Having At and studied h i m by i n - (t'i) t'1 of (after us a b o u t h i s process of enlightenment: chfleh-chtl f r o m t h e T'ang p o e t s . he abandoned produced the forms of the v a r i o u s poets h i s own " m e c h a n i s m . " 4 4 A l t h o u g h Y e n Y3 d o e s n o t a c k n o w l e d g e any d e b t Wan-li's views them and d i r e c t necessity on l i t e r a t u r e , influence t o Yang t h e r e i s much i n common b e t w e e n s h o u l d n o t be r u l e d o u t . About t h e o f enlightenment, Yen s a y s : I n g e n e r a l , t h e way o f Ch'an l i e s i n m i r a c u l o u s en- l i g h t e n m e n t , and t h e way o f p o e t r y a l s o aculous enlightenment. lies The power o f Meng i n mir- Hao-jan's s c h o l a r s h i p was f a r b e l o w Han Yft, b u t t h a t h i s p o e t r y went beyond Han Yu" s was e n t i r e l y lous Shih he s t u d i e d Wang A n - s h l h and Ch'en S h l h - t a o finally last, Lang t o Yang's p o e t r y , Yen r e p e a t s what Yang h a s a l r e a d y t o l d and Ts'ang g i v e n t h e name C h ' e n g - c h a l Y a n g ' s hao C h ' e n g - c h a l ) At f i r s t (flourished and h o n o r s c l u d i n g h i s p o e t r y a s one o f t h e m a j o r s t y l e s verse. after c o n s i d e r e d Yang Wan-11 t o be one o f t h e most i m p o r t a n t p o e t s o f C h i n e s e l i t e r a t u r e Chinese rhymes. enlightenment. t i o n and b a s i c type. Only 4 5 due t o h i s m i r a c u - enlightenment i s the voca- 161 Y e n a l s o a g r e e d w i t h Yang i n c r i t i c i z i n g formalism of the K i a n g s i the a r t i f i c i a l i t y poets: The p o e t r y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h i s d y n a s t y followed t h e T'ang p o e t s Huang T ' i n g - c h i e n f i r s t to After the Another point particularly forced them t h e K i a n g s i i n h i s labors. and a l l w i t h i n school. one c h o o s e s w i d e l y f r o m and a f t e r a l o n g t i m e he i s n a t u r a l l y the F l o u r i s h i n g shall them i n h i s b r e a s t , e n l i g h t e n e d and one o f t h e f i r s t sword." critics 4 7 t o p u t so much T'ang, and h e r e he d i f f e r e d s e e , Yang was much more d e e p l y T'ang p o e t s t h a n Y e n YlS's m a s t e r s stress f r o m Yang W a n - l i , indebted t o the Tu F u and L i Po. The i n p o e t i c p r e f e r e n c e s between Yang and Yen i s o f minor importance, difference can o c c u r : " t h e sudden g a t e " o r straight with a single Yen Yfl was fairly T'ang and " f e r m e n t s " . . . This i s called "entering difference i s the t h e famous p o e t s o f Flourishing late 4 6 sudden e n l i g h t e n m e n t the a s we Huang on w h i c h Yang Wan-11 and Yen Yti a g r e e d a t t h e s t a g e where enters for t h e i r own o p i n i o n s of s t u d y i n g the g r e a t poets of the past i n o r d e r t o Finally, on expressed their rules flourished seas c a l l e d necessity arrive that, still . . . B u t when Su S h i h and make poems, t h e T'ang s t y l e was a l t e r e d ; T ' i n g - c h i e n was and but i t i s a s s o c i a t e d between t h e i r v i e w s w i t h a profound a s t o t h e p r o c e s s by w h i c h 162 sudden enlightenment i s to be o b t a i n e d . Yang h e l d that imita- t i o n i s a l l o w a b l e and even necessary, but that the poet should view the o b j e c t of h i s i m i t a t i o n to be merely a b a r r i e r •fjjj) (kuan) which i s to be passed when he reaches a c e r t a i n degree enlightenment. of Yang c e r t a i n l y had p r e f e r e n c e s f o r i n d i v i d u a l poets, but he never attempted to f i t the p o e t i c c r e a t i o n s of Chinese l i t e r a t u r e i n t o a r i g i d h i e r a r c h y as Yen Yfl' does: In the Ch'an s c h o o l , there are a Great and V e h i c l e , a n o r t h and orthodox Path. Small south s e c t , and a heterodox Those who study must f o l l o w the h i g h - est V e h i c l e and r e a l i z e the c o r r e c t dharma eye thus, be e n l i g h t e n e d to the Supreme T r u t h . of the sravaka and the pratyeka-buddha dox. and and, The fruits are not o r t h o - D i s c u s s i n g poetry i s l i k e d i s c u s s i n g Ch'an. The poetry of Han, Wei, are the Supreme T r u t h . Chin and F l o u r i s h i n g T'ang The poems from the T a - l i per- i o d [766-780] onward are Small V e h i c l e Ch'an and have a l r e a d y f a l l e n i n t o the second of the Late T'ang are the f r u i t pratyeka-buddha. truth. Studying the poetry of Han, s t u d y i n g the poetry from a f t e r T a - l i , sect. The poems of the sravaka and and F l o u r i s h i n g T'ang, one i s i n the L i n - c h i Ts'ao-tung they Wei, sect; one i s i n the AA Yang Wan-li s t r o n g l y emphasized that each author has h i s own s t y l e which sets him a p a r t as an i n d i v i d u a l and, thus, he would have found a r i g i d d i v i s i o n of poets i n t o v a r i o u s s e c t s ex- 163 tremely who distasteful. As t r a n s m i t s e c t s and Yang W a n - l i had said: " I am had first o f T'ang t i m e s . studied h i s near only t h e n moved on There does not b u t Yen Yu s e t up a d e f i n i t e which the a s p i r i n g Studying principal correct, lofty o f Han and through the of the Oh'u must through of the F l o u r i s h i n g and must be Tz'u thor- cessful i n your correct path. Tu F u a r e Although study, a t l e a s t you from the ferment you Wu Then to be learn famous them i n naturally may not be you w i l l not lose are sucthe 4 9 I n h i s Yuan S h i h ^ , o f Yen T'ang and then Su read. j u s t a s modern men a f t e r a l o n g time, enter. be the f o u r Yueh-fu thoroughly works o f L i Po and past: the n i g h t as a b a s i s ; L a t e r , choose w i d e l y b r e a s t and, t h i s aspect must a l l be and classics. enlightened the authors A n c i e n t Poems, and Wei perused masters must r e a d par- c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r in f i v e - c h a r a c t e r poems o f L i L i n g and collected your one au- modern t o more a n c i e n t up h i s g o a l s , he i t m o r n i n g and t h e two the to I m i t a t e the ought t o make u n d e r s t a n d i n g in setting reciting The study contemporaries, I n e n t e r i n g t h e g a t e , he the Nineteen poems. and thing. and should one . . . First oughly, read poet poetry, those seem t o h a v e been any t i c u l a r d e s i g n i n t h i s p r o g r e s s i o n from authors, ashamed f o r schools." t h e K i a n g s i s c h o o l , and thors he Yeh H s i e h :|~ Yii's l i t e r a r y violently attacked c r i t i c i s m w i t h arguments that Y a n g would h a v e seoonded: When Y e n Yii s a y s understanding, ing, that i n studying poetry he i s c o r r e c t . he o u g h t t h e n t o spread one s h o u l d When one h a s out i n f r o n t understand of himself t h e poems o f Han, W e i , and t h e S i x D y n a s t i e s , w i t h t h e c o m p l e t e poems o f T'ang and S u n g . then be certainly "trusting t h e hand t h e Way." T'ang, t h e n man i s a b l e i s used to hearing a great i n hordes, t o f o l l o w them. Why f o r understanding that i f one d o e s n o t h a v e u n d e r s t a n d i n g , ing T'ang, t h e r e demons. he does n o t hurry was t h i s talk thought!-5"° then even i f i n t h e f o o t s t e p s o f Han, W e i , and T'ang, a l l p o e t r y Flourishing i f he i s no p l a c e where t h e r e a r e no p o e t r y p r a j n a , and he w i l l and then I think t h e Han, W e i , and F l o u r i s h - I f one d o e s have u n d e r s t a n d i n g , Flourishing f o r even a b e f o r e he c a n do t h a t ? s t e p by s t e p a f t e r thorough d o e s he need t o wait hastens boy o r a i n t e a c h i n g and l e a r n - This i s l i k e t o w h i c h t h e masses t h r o n g blind that i snot even a f i v e - f o o t t u t o r of three f a m i l i e s i t f o r a long time. fare should which i s c a l l e d t o p i c k out n o t h i n g a b o u t t h i s and h a s b e e n s k i l l e d ing will B u t i f one s p e a k s o f t h e Han, W e i , and Flourishing village along He be a b l e t o know, h i m s e l f , what c h o s e n and on what he c a n r e l y , be demons w i l l turn Into n o t do any harm t o t h e Han, W e i , T'ang. How m i s l e a d i n g and perverse o f Y e n Y u and how c o n t r a d i c t o r y was h i s 165 For Yang W a n - l i , t h e m a j o r his selection masters, was of masters, fault o f Yen b u t t h a t he d i d n o t r e m a i n i n g a t t a c h e d t o them. "Hlnayana" and Yu would Yang W a n - l i In t h i s "Mahayana." not l i e i n transcend h i s r e s p e c t , Yen Yu 166 1 ^ SPTK, Su S h i h J | , ^ h i Chu Pen L e i Tung. P\, Hslen Sheng. Shih (abbreviated T P H S S ) ^ ohflan 21, p. jL a Ibid., 5 Han Chli j£| 18, 337-b. , L i n g Yang Hslen Sheng Shih f^J§) , Yao T a i Shen Shih e d i t i o n , 4 » Chung Hua Shu Chli ^ ^ %J 1910, chuan 1, p. 8-b. i, Wei C h ' i n g - c h i h ^ i ^ *\ § 391- . 2 i ^ s? #1-|T*4 $J3- fjf » Shih Jen Ytt Hsieh |2j -j| , Shanghai, 1 9 5 9 , /kj chuan 5. p. 122. 5 s -^ | l^li t J[ Kuo S h a o - y f l ^ 7 'I , Chung Kuo Wen Hstleh P ' l P'ing l&jf^i^ . P- 214. 6 S h i h Jen YU Hsieh, 1 , 8 . 7 CCC, 80-672. °Taisho, Ching Te Ch'uan Teng Lu ( a b b r e v i a t e d CTCTL) ^ 9 10 ' n 0 * 2076,'vol. ^ 5 1 , P. 264-b. I b i d . , p. 356-b. 4 - 3 4 - b ; 4-1 b; 42. a . "The p o o l has grass" i s an a l l u s i o n to Hsieh Llng-jrun's famous l i n e "The p o o l bears s p r i n g g r a s s e s " i n h i s poem "Teng Ch'ih Shang Lou" ^ e d * J Shihj> %h ^% * C n 7 ^ s- lg\ % ^ . " See Ting Pu-pao ' flan n San Kuo Chin Nan P e l Ch'ao H a |f) JU Shu Chli r e p r . , T a i p e i , 1*1 , Shih 1962, v o l . 2, p. 638. Chieh 167 "Eyes a l l i n d i s o r d e r " i s from Chuang-tzu, " P ' i e n Mu"
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The poetry of Yang Wan-Li Schmidt, Jerry Dean 1975
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Title | The poetry of Yang Wan-Li |
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Schmidt, Jerry Dean |
Date Issued | 1975 |
Description | Yang Wan-li (1127-1206) is regarded by Chinese literary historians and critics as one of the three most outstanding shih poets of the twelfth century. The present study attempts to explore Yang Wan-li's unique contribution to Chinese literature largely by utilizing the tools of traditional Chinese literary criticism, rather than emphasizing European methodology as is the case with most studies on non-European literature done by Westerners. I begin with an extensive account of Yang Wan-li's life, paying particular attention to the influence that his political career had upon his literary works. However, the biography is not merely limited to a study of Yang's official life, for the very personal nature of his poetry allows us to explore the inner workings of his mind, and, in particular, the important role played by Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism in determining his outlook on life and his attitudes toward literature. The next major section focuses on Yang's theory of literature and how his Ch'an background led him to view the writing of poetry as an intuitional process which results from sudden enlightenment. Such a theory caused him to reject thoughtless imitation of earlier poets and to advance the idea of natural, unadorned verse. The most concrete expression of Yang's theory of poetry is his "live method" (huo-fa). a poetic method which includes such elements as iconoclasm, illusionistic and paradoxical language, surprise and sudden enlightenment, humor, and extensive use of colloquial language. After this general discussion of Yang's literary theory and practice, I proceed to explore some of the major themes of Yang Wan-li's poetry, finding that a considerable body of his poetry is concerned with the Buddhist theme of illusion and reality. However, Yang's career as a Confucian bureaucrat also was of the utmost importance for his poetry, and he frequently describes his family and his general relationship with society. He is particularly original in his verse of social criticism and the life of the lower classes. However, the most common subject of Yang's literary creations is nature, a tendency which is consistent with the esthetic interests of both painters and poets of his period. Yang's nature poetry has great similarities to the visual art of his contemporaries', and the striking innovations in Yang's nature poetry are easily compared to contemporary changes in Chinese painting. Yang's landscape poetry, In particular, is found to be intimately connected with Ch'an Buddhist mysticism. His poetry on plants and animals, like the painting of the period, is in harmony with the scientific, analytical tendencies of the culture as a whole. I conclude with a study of Yang Wan-li's position in Chinese literature. The influences of earlier poets on his verse are analyzed and the traditional opinions concerning the evolution of his style are found to be erroneous. Yang's poetry is compared and contrasted with the work of the two most prominent shih poets of his period, Pan Ch'eng-ta and Lu Yu. Finally, I give a brief account of Yang Wan-li's influence on later poets and critics. |
Genre |
Thesis/Dissertation |
Type |
Text |
Language | eng |
Date Available | 2010-02-05 |
Provider | Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library |
Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
DOI | 10.14288/1.0093625 |
URI | http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19705 |
Degree |
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD |
Program |
Asian Studies |
Affiliation |
Arts, Faculty of Asian Studies, Department of |
Degree Grantor | University of British Columbia |
Campus |
UBCV |
Scholarly Level | Graduate |
Aggregated Source Repository | DSpace |
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