Research history of parallel prose

Mo Daocai: In the first 30 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the study of parallel prose was basically in a lonely situation. According to the information retrieved by the author, there are only two articles about parallel prose in recent 30 years, one is the Difference between Prose and Parallel Prose by Qi Gong (Literature and Art Research No.4 1957), and the other is Prose and Parallel Prose by Xu Chi (Guangming Daily 1978). This is a bitter academic tragedy. Due to the influence of ultra-left ideological trend, the study of parallel prose was basically an academic forbidden area in the first 30 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chinese mainland began to pay attention to the study of parallel prose.

The ideological emancipation movement, which began in the late 1970s, also broke through the forbidden area of parallel prose research. Three papers were published only in 1980, and three influential scholars, Hu and Cao Daoheng, successively published articles on parallel prose in the Six Dynasties (Liu Xie's evaluation of parallel prose in the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties, and Literary Heritage 1, 1980). Hu: The Development and Achievements of Parallel Prose in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Journal of Wuhan University, No.5, 1980. Cao Daoheng: Parallel Prose and Prose in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Literary Criticism Series 1980, No.7). He thinks that the parallel prose in the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties is a breakthrough, and the study of parallel prose is gradually on the right track. So far, the research on parallel literature has achieved fruitful results, with about 90 papers, 6 monographs and 9 selected works published. These six monographs are: On the History of Parallel Prose by Jiang (People's Literature Publishing House, 1986), On the History of Parallel Prose by Yu Jingxiang (Liaoning People's Publishing House, 199 1) and On Parallel Prose. 1994), Yu Jingxiang's Charm of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties (Liaoning Ancient Books Publishing House, 1995), and Zhong Tao's Art Form and Cultural Connotation of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties (People's Literature Publishing House, 1997). The nine selected works are: Selected Parallel Prose by Huang Jun, Bei and Tan Jiajian (Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House, 1986), Selected Parallel Prose by Xiong Xianqian (Guizhou People's Publishing House, 1986) and Selected Parallel Prose by Tan Jiajian. 1995), The Essentials of Parallel Prose in Past Dynasties edited by Yin (Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, 1995), The Essentials of Parallel Prose edited by Zhou (Shanxi Ancient Books Publishing House, 1996) and China Parallel Prose edited by Zhu. In addition, a number of literary works published before liberation have also been reprinted, such as Qu Dunzhi's Introduction to Parallel Prose and Liu's Parallel Prose. The study of parallel prose in Taiwan Province Province has also developed since 1960s, and a series of works have been published successively, such as Zhang Renqing's Selected Notes on Parallel Prose in Past Dynasties (Taiwan Province Zhonghua Book Company, 1963) and China Parallel Prose Development History (Taiwan Province Zhonghua Book Company, 1969). 1972), Analysis of China's Parallel Prose (Taipei Dongsheng Publishing Co., Ltd., 1980), Parallel Prose Literature (Taipei Literature and History Zhe Publishing House, 1984), Exploring the Source of Li Ci (Taipei Literature and History Zhe Publishing House,)

In addition,1June, 1996, the first national symposium on parallel prose was held in Guilin, which was sponsored by the Ancient Literature Research Office of the Institute of Literature of China Academy of Social Sciences, the Editorial Department of Literary Criticism, the China Rhyme Society, and the Chinese Department of Guangxi Normal University, marking the overall revival of parallel prose research. The preparatory committee of China Parallel Prose Society was established at the meeting, which marked the transition from decentralization to integration of literary research. This conference had a great influence and greatly promoted the development of parallel prose research. Before and after, the Journal of Guangxi Normal University and the Journal of Liuzhou Normal University opened up parallel prose research columns, which provided publishing places for parallel prose research results. It can be said that the study of cross-strait parallel literature bid farewell to loneliness and moved towards prosperity. Due to the poor cross-strait cultural communication channels, the author has not seen all the parallel literature research works published in Taiwan Province Province, so it is not convenient to comment. In Chinese mainland's works and papers published in recent twenty years, the following issues are mainly discussed: the form of parallel prose is the first essence of understanding parallel prose, so there are many works and papers discussing its formal and aesthetic characteristics. Firstly, the general characteristics of parallel prose are introduced, aiming at restoring its true colors, such as Zhang Huien's On the Characteristics of Parallel Prose (Yindu Journal No.4, 1985) and Tan Jiajian's On the Basic Characteristics of Parallel Prose (Journal of Liaoning Education College). Then gradually go deep into the internal form of parallel prose, such as "A new theory of literary fu: the internalization of parallel prose features and the formation of mindset" (Journal of East China Normal University, No.4, 1988) and "On the morphological characteristics and cultural connotation of parallel prose" (Journal of Jianghai, No.2,/kloc- They discussed the deep characteristics of parallel prose form and explained it in the sense of cultural history. This paper discusses the psychological basis of formal beauty of parallel prose by Xiang Chaoshan (Journal of Jishou Normal University 1986 No.3), the aesthetic basis of parallel prose by Mo (Journal of Liuzhou Normal University 1996 No.2) and the aesthetic form of parallel prose. Shi Li and the Rhythm of Parallel Prose (Journal of Liaoning Normal University 1994No. 1 issue) and several monographs, and discussed the aesthetic functions of various features, such as the balanced and symmetrical beauty of tailoring, the neat architectural beauty of sentence patterns, the elegant and implicit beauty of official business, the gorgeous color beauty of algae ornaments, the harmonious musical beauty of timbre and so on. For example, Mo Daocai's General Theory of Parallel Prose, the fourth chapter, the structural forms and sentence patterns of parallel prose, the fifth chapter, the rhetorical forms and cultural connotations of parallel prose, and the sixth chapter, the aesthetic characteristics and aesthetic effects of parallel prose, all discuss the formal characteristics and aesthetic characteristics of parallel prose. The author thinks that the structural form of parallel prose has the structure of starting, dispersing and knotting, and the free configuration of collar, lining and clip; The sentence patterns of parallel prose also have structural pattern characteristics, such as Sao-style sentences, poetic sentences and overlapping sentences. On the other hand, the sentence patterns of parallel prose have strong structural patterns, such as single-linked sentences, double-linked sentences and mixed-linked sentences. The General Theory of Parallel Prose also discusses the rhetorical forms and cultural connotations of parallel prose, such as duality, rhyme, ceremony and decoration, and discusses its aesthetic characteristics such as balance, harmony, music and elegance. It can be said that after more than 20 years of discussion, the understanding of the formal characteristics and aesthetic characteristics of parallel prose has reached a deeper level. Through research and discussion, it is of great significance for us to correctly view the existence value of parallel prose.

Parallel prose became popular in the Han Yu era. He and his colleagues called parallel prose "contemporary prose", while the ancient prose before the formation of parallel prose was called "ancient prose", that is, the single-line prose in the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, without formal restrictions. The study of parallel prose history is an important part of parallel prose research, including its emergence, development and rise and fall. How to correctly understand and evaluate the development and evolution of parallel prose is still an urgent problem in the study of parallel prose. Because the denial of parallel prose in the past began with an incorrect understanding of its occurrence and development. Xie's On the Deep Causes of the Development of Parallel Prose (Journal of Xiangtan University, No.4, 199 1) and The Generation of Parallel Prose from the Cultural Perspective (China Literature Research, No.3, 1992) focus on parallel prose. Zhong Tao's parallel prose and the particularity of China's language and writing (Chinese Character Culture No.2, 1997) discusses the origin of parallel prose from the perspective of the particularity of language and writing. Other papers on the formation of parallel prose are The Formation and Prosperity of Parallel Prose by Yu Jingxiang (Literature Review No.6, 1996) and The Transformation of Aesthetic Consciousness and the Formation and Prosperity of Parallel Prose by Mo (Journal of Liuzhou Teachers College No.2, 1997).

The study of parallel prose in past dynasties has also begun. Parallel prose in all stages has attracted the attention of researchers, especially in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. The main papers are "On Parallel Prose in the Six Dynasties" (Journal of Xiangtan University, No.4, 1985), Hu's "Evaluation of Parallel Prose in the Six Dynasties" (literary heritage, No.0/987), and Zhou's. Fan Yunkuan wrote On the Characteristics of Yu Xin's Late Parallel Prose (Journal of Guangxi Normal University 1996No. 1 issue), Parallel Prose and Literary Fashion in the Six Dynasties (Journal of Liuzhou Normal University 1998 No.3), and Zhou Yue wrote A Moderate Palace. Tan Jia wrote "On Parallel Prose" about the relationship between Xu Ling's parallel prose and his political life (Journal of Liuzhou Teachers College, No.2, 1999). They discussed the artistic characteristics of parallel prose in this period and made a detailed analysis of the parallel prose creation of the main parallel prose writers. In addition, parallel prose in Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties is also favored. Parallel prose in the Tang Dynasty mainly includes Dong Naibin's On Fan Nanwen (literature heritage 1983No. 1 issue), the position of parallel prose in the history of the Tang Dynasty (Journal of Guangxi Normal University 1990 No.4) and Fan. Typical examples of political theory: On the Memories of Parallel Prose (Zhejiang Academic Journal No.3, 1996) and Mo's Parallel Prose Debate and Its Aesthetic Value (Journal of Liuzhou Normal University No.3, 1999). There are Zeng Zaozhuang's Essays on Song Dynasty (Literary Heritage 1995 No.3) and Yin Zhanhua's Essays on Su Shi (Tianfu New Essays 1996 on Parallel Prose in Ming and Qing Dynasties, and On the Renaissance of Parallel Prose in Qing Dynasty (Journal of Beijing Normal University No.4,/KLOC-0) Parallel prose about Yuan Mei (Journal of Guangxi Normal University, No.2, 1998), and parallel prose in the early years of the Republic of China, such as Liu Na's "A Landscape of Literature in the Early Republic of China: the Prosperity of Parallel Prose" (Journal of Zhengzhou University, No.5, 1996). Moreover, these discussions are mostly positive interpretation and analysis, and there is no simplistic negative paranoia in the past. This is helpful to reverse the wrong impression of parallel prose in past dynasties.

The evolution of parallel prose in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties went through a long process. At the latest, in the Western Jin Dynasty, a relatively complete parallel prose appeared. The maturity of literary parallel prose was roughly in the Southern Dynasties, Liu and Song Dynasties, and the representative works were some works by Bao Zhao. All kinds of parallel prose in Qi and Liang Dynasties, with the theme of expressing beautiful things and paying attention to form, gradually became a popular literary style, and thought of Emperor Liang Jianwen.

The expansion of the scope of parallel prose research is the embodiment of the deepening of parallel prose research. Mo Daocai's On the Historical Staging of Parallel Prose (Journal of Liuzhou Teachers College, No.3, 1997) specifically discusses the historical staging of parallel prose, while Mo's On the Historical Evolution of Anti-parallel Prose in Past Dynasties (Journal of Guangxi Normal University, 65438+6546) and other published literary works. Jiang's History of Parallel Prose is a history of parallel prose since the founding of the People's Republic of China. This magnum opus of nearly 400,000 words discusses the development of parallel prose in detail, and outlines the panorama of its evolution, but the deficiency is that the parts after the Tang Dynasty are a little too brief. Yu Jingxiang's History of Parallel Prose in Tang and Song Dynasties is the first dynastic history of parallel prose, which gives a detailed description of parallel prose in Tang and Song Dynasties, but it also loses its simple narrative method. Zhong Tao's doctoral thesis is The Forms and Cultural Connotation of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties. In the second chapter, "The Formation Process of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties", she also discusses the development process of parallel prose in Six Dynasties. Yu Jingxiang's Charm of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties also combs the history of parallel prose in Six Dynasties in the third chapter "Evolution of Parallel Prose in Six Dynasties". The ninth and tenth chapters of Mo Daocai's General Theory of Parallel Prose are devoted to the historical evolution of parallel prose, outlining eight stages of its development: origin, formation, maturity, prosperity, variation, decline, revival and extinction. Yin's parallel prose, in the second chapter "Historical perspective: the evolution process of parallel prose style", also briefly combs the development process of parallel prose from five paragraphs: traceability, brewing, maturity, variation and revival. It can be said that the academic circles have a deeper understanding of the evolution process and laws of parallel prose. Throughout the development history of parallel literature research, it has gone through a tortuous road, with glory and loneliness, and now it has entered the right track and entered new glory. Even so, we should also see that there are still many problems in the study of parallel literature, mainly in:

First of all, the research power of parallel literature is not enough. Judging from the published papers and works, there are only more than 20 scholars studying parallel prose in China. It is not only inferior to the research team of ancient poetry, but also far inferior to the researchers of ancient prose. Among these more than 20 scholars, many did not focus on this field, but only occasionally dabbled in parallel prose research. The reason for this is probably influenced by the narrow concept that ancient prose is authentic and parallel prose is the path. Therefore, it is necessary for researchers to renew their concepts and re-understand parallel prose. Due to the limitations of the research team, it also restricts the overall improvement of the research level of parallel prose to a certain extent. Therefore, parallel prose scholars urgently need more scholars to join in order to promote the study of this traditional cultural form. With the growth of research strength, the improvement of research level is the basis, otherwise everything will be impossible. At the same time, it is urgent to study parallel prose and cultivate new people. Parallel prose is far from today's life. If the study of parallel prose is interrupted, people's understanding of it will decrease. The study of parallel prose needs the participation of young scholars.

Secondly, the arrangement and publication of parallel literature research materials need to be strengthened. The lack of data is also a prominent problem that affects the study of parallel prose. Although many selections of parallel prose have been published, the research materials of parallel prose have not yet been published. Ancient parallel prose remains in some large-scale books and series, and it is very inconvenient to find information from them. Most of the works since modern times have not been reprinted, so it is not easy to see. This has affected the development of parallel literature research. Due to various reasons, the project "Four Biographies of Past Dynasties", which was funded by the National College Ancient Books Sorting Committee and edited by the author and Mo, has already been submitted to the publishing house, but it can't be published for a long time. In addition, in order to promote the development of parallel prose research, it is urgent to edit and publish a collection of parallel prose research materials and a collection of parallel prose research essays selected from the research papers in the past 50 years. Some important theoretical works and collections of parallel prose also need the help of publishing houses, such as Liu Si Cong Hua by Sun Mei in Qing Dynasty, Parallel Prose Paper Money by Li Zhaoluo, Parallel Prose Yi Tong by Qian Jibo in modern times, and Records of Six Dynasties by Sun Deqian. These important literary materials should be compiled and published as soon as possible to promote the development of parallel prose. The study of parallel literature needs the help of people of insight in the publishing industry, which will promote the further prosperity of academics.

Third, the academic level of parallel literature research should reach a new level. There are few high-level papers, and the academic level of parallel prose research needs to be further improved. The field of parallel literature research should get rid of non-academic norms and improve the level of research papers and works. In research methods, we should pay attention to the combination of quantitative research and empirical methods; From the perspective of research, we should pay attention to digging from the perspective of cultural history and avoid simple theory of writers' works. In particular, we should examine the existence of parallel prose in the process of cultural and historical evolution of the times, observe the existence of parallel prose from a broader cultural background, and regard the creation of parallel prose as a humanistic spiritual activity mode of an era, so as to dissect the scenes and ways of literati life in an era, and even the aesthetic psychology, literati mentality and social mentality of an era, and further reveal parallel prose. Only in this way can the aesthetic significance, literary value and position of parallel prose in the cultural history of China be truly revealed. Only with such a broad vision can we understand parallel prose at a higher and deeper level, and understand its history and the reasons for its existence. The level of parallel prose research results will be determined by the next level. The experience and lessons of the development and rise and fall of parallel literature are inevitably involved in the study. Parallel prose has a long history, which has been 1500 years since Liu Xie wrote Li Ci in Wen Xin Diao Long. The Song Dynasty was marked by Si Liu Dialect and Xie Tiao's Si Liu Tan Gu, and parallel prose was initially formed. In fact, the research on the history of parallel prose literature is to sort out the development and evolution of the concept of parallel prose. The research papers in this field mainly include Mo Daocai's History and Present Situation of Parallel Prose Research (Chinese Guide No.9, 1987) and Review of Parallel Prose Research in Tang Dynasty in 1980s (Journal of Liuzhou Normal University, 1999,No. 1 period) and Reading Zhong's Parallel Prose and De Hua (Journal of Literature and History No.3 1993), On Cong Hua's Academic Value and Parallel Prose Thought (No.41period) Yang Dongfu's Parallel Prose (Yu Jingxiang's Ouyang Xiu's Scientific Attitude towards Parallel Prose and Prose (Journal of Liaoning University, No.6, 1997), Mo's Comment on Xiao Zixian's Parallel Prose in Han, Wei and Six Dynasties (Journal of Liuzhou Teachers College,/kloc-0) The History of Parallel Prose (Journal of Liuzhou Teachers' College, No.3, 1999), according to the published papers, has involved some basic issues in the history of parallel prose, such as the historical process of its evolution, the theory of parallel prose in some important works in the history of parallel prose, and some in the history of parallel prose.

Due to the in-depth study of parallel prose, the negation of parallel prose has been broken, and most of the newly compiled textbooks of literary history have special chapters to write the positive description of parallel prose into them. For example, History of Ancient Chinese Literature edited by Ma and Huang Jun (Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House, 1992 edition) and History of Ancient Chinese Literature edited by Guo Yuheng (Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1998 edition), the former is in the third chapter of Literature in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and the seventh chapter of Prose in Wei, Jin and Southern Dynasties. The latter is also introduced in the fifth section of Chapter 6 of Literature of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Qi Liang Chen Wenxue, the fourth section of Chapter 10 of Literature of Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, and the fourth section of Li Shangyin's Parallel Prose. Some dynastic literary histories, such as Literature History of Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties edited by Luo Zongqiang and Hao Shifeng (published by Higher Education Press, Volume I 1990 and Volume I 1994), also describe the lyrical tendency of parallel prose in the early Tang Dynasty and the transformation of parallel prose in the middle Tang Dynasty with special sections. All these show that the achievements of parallel prose research have been recognized by academic circles and popularized as knowledge to reading circles. This is very gratifying. However, it should also be noted that some textbooks of literary history and even some influential works of new literary history still hold an indifferent attitude towards the existence of parallel prose.