王维送别诗硏究 = A STUDY OF WANG WEI'S POEMS OF PARTING

Abstract

Wang Wei (??701?-761) was one of the most famous poets of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). He occupies a prominent position in the history of Chinese classical poetry especially well known for his ability of fusing the art of painting and the art of poetry into one. Yet, so much about his artistic achievements and the Buddhist thought expressed in his nature poem had been discussed that his poems of parting have been regrettably neglected. The objective of this academic exercise is therefore to study his poems of parting and to establish their values. As an introduction, chapter one first defines the poems of parting. The objectives and the approach of this study are then highlighted. Chapter two gives a description of the common characteristics across the Chinese classical poetry on the theme of departure. Chapter three analyses the connotation of the themes in Wang Wei's poems of parting in two aspects: the first including sorrow of parting, difficulty in reunion, loneliness after departure; the other including blessing for friends ’ leaving for new posts, thwarted aspiration in official career as well as yearning for a life of seclusion. Chapter four explores the artistic techniques. It consists of two sections: (i) Evocation of the atmosphere of parting by selected scenery, colour and sound, (ii) Revealing emotions by imagery, allusions and direct expressions. The final chapter concludes the academic exercise with a summary of findings. The analysis and exploration in this academic exercise help to establish the reputation of Wang Wei as one of the masters of this literary genre.