丘逢甲南游诗硏究 = A STUDY OF THE POEMS OF QIU FENG JIA WRITTEN ON HIS MISSION TO SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES IN 1900

Abstract

This thesis is intended for the study of the poems of Qiu Feng Jia written on his mission to South-East Asian countries in 1900. Qiu Feng Jia (1864-1912) was a famous poet and educator in modern China. In his lifetime, he wrote more than 7,000 poems in traditional form, the majority of which expressed his concern for the nation, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage. In 1900, he was appointed by the Guang Dong government, came to South-East Asia to show concern and care to the Chinese businessmen. He also took the opportunity to promote modern education in South-East Asia, and to raise funds to set up a modern school in Guang Dong. I chose the poems which he wrote on that Journey as the object of my study, hoping that this will promote the study of Qiu's poems. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter is about the motivation of this study, its scope and method. The second chapter describes the purpose of his mission. The third chapter discusses the psychological state of mind under which Qiu wrote his poems during the journey. The fourth chapter analyses the art form and style of Qiu's poems written on that mission from several perspectives such as language and rhetoric. The fifth chapter appraises the achievement and standing of Qiu's poems written on his mission to South-East Asian countries. These poems depict his various psychological states of mind and also reflect his attempts to support the movement to reform traditional poems. The selection also shows his emphasis on the social functions of poetry for his belief that poems should not only express the individual's feelings but should also act as commentary on society.