| Abstract |
The essay aims to articulate the diversity of book publication, and uses communication theory to interpret the compilation and circulation of books on criticism of poetry during the Sung Dynasty. Examples discussed include collections such as Mingxianshihua, Shihuazonggui, Tangshijishi, Tiaoxiyuyinconghua and Shirenyuxie. Among the themes dealt with in those collections, the most common one is compliments of the Jiangxi poets, and the second one is criticism on the Jiangxi poets, and the third one is the eclectic of the two. Mingxianshihua reveals the not-too-scholarly-oriented, original form of poetic criticism. Shihuazonggui shows implicitly the Jiangxi poets’ style. Tangshijishi collects a plethora of poems from the Tang Dynasty, which eventually serves as the canon for “mimicking-yet-reach-beyond” poetry of Tang (學唐變唐). While Tiaoxiyuyinconghua mainly deals with criticisms on poetry and politics, its advocate for creative neologism and style of one’s own epitomizes the poetic style of the Sung. Finally, Shirenyuxie stresses poetic meters and forms, which reflect the influence of Jiangxi poetic style in the Southern Sung Dynasty. All these result largely from the convenience of printing media that affects the then academic trend, so you can see the formation of Song characteristics. Qian Zhongshu’s the demarcation of poetry within the Tang and Sung Dynasty, the then royal government’s all-pervasive support for scholarly development, and the number of erudite scholars, are all relevant to the rise of printing media and the engraving technique.
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