苏辛词中的空间与政治抱负 = RELATIONS OF SPACE AND AMBITION IN LYRICS OF SU SHI AND XIN QIJI

Abstract

The "‘Spatial" concept was established by Henri Lefebvre in his book The Production of Space. Ten years later, Michel Foucault's essay, named "Of Other Spaces" was published. Their theories led to a "spatial" turn in the literature research realm. An architectural concept now becomes a literature concept. Other than simply geographical features, space, or the production of space, have been related to social, economic, and political causes. It also symbolises the cultural and psychological features of a certain era in history. Space is used in literature as a measure to reflect social and political space in reality. More and more scholars start to analyse literature from a spatial perspective. In recent years, this concept is also diverted to contemporary Chinese literature where various new spaces were produced due to radical social and political changes. However, few outstretched this concept to classical Chinese literature. Chinese lyrics, "Ci"’，a form of traditional Chinese literature, involved a great number of spaces that reveal the inner activities of authors. Chinese lyrics underwent significant changes in Song dynasty. Su Shi is one of the pioneers who changed the style of lyric writing from implicit to bold and explicit, and this change was flirther carried forward by Xin Qiji. Their lyrics expressed their concerns and worries to society's problem and nation's future. Both of them adopted symbolisms of spaces in their lyrics. This thesis paper will focus on examining the relationship between space and their ambitions while discussing their lyrics. I will first give an overall introduction to the background information of current studies in the realm of space and lyrics. Followed by the significance of Su Shi's and Xin Qiji's contribution to the development of lyrics, and the objective of this thesis. I will then look into the main problem through examining their works and the symbolisms hidden behind the spaces. Secondly, I will discuss in chapter two the different history backgrounds of both writers, Su Shi in the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), while Xin Qiji in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). This reveals their relations with politics in these two different periods, and explains the differences in their emotions. Thirdly, Su Shi's and Xin Qiji's different styles of works will be discussed in chapter three and four separately. Different styles involve various type of spaces. And the imagination behind the spaces may vary vastly as well. These two parts focused on analyse the political messages delivered by the two authors through spaces depiction. Lastly, a conclusion relevant to patriotism of the two authors and spaces in their lyrics will be made based on the discussions in previous chapters. It also compares the different emotions between Su Shi and Xin Qiji in the two separate periods and the possible reasons behind them.The "‘Spatial" concept was established by Henri Lefebvre in his book The Production of Space. Ten years later, Michel Foucault's essay, named "Of Other Spaces" was published. Their theories led to a "spatial" turn in the literature research realm. An architectural concept now becomes a literature concept. Other than simply geographical features, space, or the production of space, have been related to social, economic, and political causes. It also symbolises the cultural and psychological features of a certain era in history. Space is used in literature as a measure to reflect social and political space in reality. More and more scholars start to analyse literature from a spatial perspective. In recent years, this concept is also diverted to contemporary Chinese literature where various new spaces were produced due to radical social and political changes. However, few outstretched this concept to classical Chinese literature. Chinese lyrics, "Ci"’，a form of traditional Chinese literature, involved a great number of spaces that reveal the inner activities of authors. Chinese lyrics underwent significant changes in Song dynasty. Su Shi is one of the pioneers who changed the style of lyric writing from implicit to bold and explicit, and this change was flirther carried forward by Xin Qiji. Their lyrics expressed their concerns and worries to society's problem and nation's future. Both of them adopted symbolisms of spaces in their lyrics. This thesis paper will focus on examining the relationship between space and their ambitions while discussing their lyrics. I will first give an overall introduction to the background information of current studies in the realm of space and lyrics. Followed by the significance of Su Shi's and Xin Qiji's contribution to the development of lyrics, and the objective of this thesis. I will then look into the main problem through examining their works and the symbolisms hidden behind the spaces. Secondly, I will discuss in chapter two the different history backgrounds of both writers, Su Shi in the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), while Xin Qiji in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). This reveals their relations with politics in these two different periods, and explains the differences in their emotions. Thirdly, Su Shi's and Xin Qiji's different styles of works will be discussed in chapter three and four separately. Different styles involve various type of spaces. And the imagination behind the spaces may vary vastly as well. These two parts focused on analyse the political messages delivered by the two authors through spaces depiction. Lastly, a conclusion relevant to patriotism of the two authors and spaces in their lyrics will be made based on the discussions in previous chapters. It also compares the different emotions between Su Shi and Xin Qiji in the two separate periods and the possible reasons behind them.