A Multidimensional Study of Tao Yuanming

This book examines the life, philosophy, works and influence of Tao Yuanming, one of the most emblematic poets in ancient China. It sheds light on his lasting poetic and spiritual significance within the Chinese cultural tradition. The study takes a multi-faceted approach to the poet. The first part addresses the contested scholarly questions surrounding his biography, such as his lifespan and social position. The second part explores his life philosophy of "Spirit-Oriented Nature" as a universal framework for human existentialism. The third part further examines his literary concept of "non-utilitarian aesthetics", which emphasizes the intrinsic value of art detached from worldly pragmatism. It also analyses his poetic practice, which is governed by the principle of naturalness and synthesizes mimetic realism with expressive lyricism-an innovation that has earned him posthumous recognition as the canonical model for classical Chinese poetry. The final part focuses on his literary influence, tracing the ways in which his poetic artistry shaped poetry during the Tang and Song dynasties. It also examines how his cultural iconicity extends beyond literary achievement to embody the idealized persona of the literati in Chinese intellectual history. This book will appeal to scholars and students of Chinese literature, poetry and literary and cultural history.

Qian Zhixi is a Cheung Kong Scholar Chair Professor, Ministry of Education of China, distinguished liberal art professor at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University, and Director of China Research Association of Li Bai. His research focuses on Chinese poetry, Chinese literary history, thought and culture.

Introduction PART ONE Textual Research 1 A New Critical Assessment of the Evidential Research on Tao's Birth Year 2 Family Background: Tao's Humble Status and the Literary Representation 3 Textual Research on the Dating of Tao's Literary Works PART TWO Philosophical Significance 4 The Pursuit of Knowledge and Artistic Creation 5 Life Philosophy of "Spirit-Oriented Nature" 6 Intra-Textual and Extra-Textual Evidence for the Trilogy "Substance, Shadow, and Spirit" PART THREE Rhetoric 7 Subtleties of Tao's Literary Theory 8 The Art of Ci-Fu and Prose 9 A Comprehensive Survey of Tao's Poetry PART FOUR The History of Tao's Reception and Research: From the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Song Dynasty 10 The Influence of Tao's Poetry in the Evolution of the Poetic Style in the Jin, Song and Southern and Northern Dynasties 11 Reception History of Tao's Thought and Image in the Tang and the Song Dynasties 12 Reception History of Tao's Poetic Art in the Tang Dynasty 13 The Interpretation and Reception of Tao's Poetic Art in the Song Dynasty 14 The Achievement of Evidential Research in Tao Yuanming Studies in the Song Dynasty Coda