Abstract：The Kang-Qian Era marked a crucial transitional phase in Qing dynasty poetics. Shen Deqian and Qian Chenqun, known as the “Two Elders of the Southeast”, held prominent political positions and were important poets and literary scholars during this period. They both exerted significant influence in the poetic community during that period.
During the Kang-Qian Era, there was a call to reveal the true and new visage of poetry. The discourse examined the relationship between personal creativity, poetic tradition, and past exemplars. This discussion sought to uncover the true essence of the ancients by investigating the evolution of poetic history while also addressing the landscape of contemporary poetry to establish a new perspective. This approach emphasized the poet’s subjectivity and transcended the boundaries of the era, replacing the focus on the periodization with an emphasis on the individual. Shen Deqian believed that individual temperament and poetic visage should be integrated, resulting in each poet having their unique artistic styles. He argued for a balanced relationship between the poet’s own creation and the traditional models, achieving a natural fusion of visage and spirit. Qian Chenqun, with his extensive and comprehensive poetic style, broke free from the limitations of poetry periodization. He believed that poetry should be based on the wide range of knowledge and penetrate beyond superficial and hollow expressions. The relevant discourse encompassed topics such as style, temperament, and techniques, reflecting the multidimensional changes in poetry during the Kangxi and Qianlong periods.
Firstly, there was an active exploration of diversified poetic styles. The Shenyun (神韵) style had leaned towards the influence of Wang Wei and Meng Haoran, resulting in a later phase of monotonous style. Shen Deqian believed that the visage of poetry was rich and diverse, with each style having its own merits. Contemporary poets, in his view, should broaden their horizons, encompass various aesthetic types, and explore widely. The incorporation of Shenyun into “gentle and kind” poetry teaching became an integral part of Shen Deqian’s poetic theory. Qian Chenqun demonstrated a diverse poetic style through his creative practice, advocating an open-minded aesthetic perspective that surpassed the boundaries of Tang and Song dynasties’ poetry. The style discussed by the “Two Elders of the Southeast” not only referred to the external aesthetic appearance but also emphasized the relationship between poetic style and the author’s experiences and temperament. The promotion of diversified poetic styles also respected and embraced the diversity of poets’ emotions and personalities.
Secondly, there was an emphasis on the social and individual aspects of poetry based on temperament and literary criticism. On the social dimension, the “Two Elders of the Southeast” combined their ideas of temperament and poetic teaching, highlighting the educational function of poetry and its relevance to social values, which aligned with the political and cultural trend of the Qing dynasty. On the individual dimension, the discourse called for sincerity and genuine emotion, hoping that poetry would be relevant to the individual’s time, context, and true experiences, pursuing the essence of poetry through a personal connection. However, the social aspect of temperament-focused poetry leaned towards politicizing poetry, while the individual aspect leaned towards personal sentiments, resulting in distinctive tendencies.
Finally, the analysis of “using prose for poetry” deepened the discussion of the differentiation between poetry and prose. The influence of Han Yu poetic styles had challenged the dominance of the Shenyun style and led to the practice of breaking the poetic form. One aspect of this exploration involved Fu, Bi and Xing. Shen Deqian emphasized the use of Bi and Xing and praised implicit poetic style, which integrated Bi and Xing with the “gentle and kind” poetry teaching. Qian Chenqun believed that Bu, Bi and Xing could coexist without deliberate separation. Another aspect involved exploring the discursive function of poetry. Shen Deqian advocated discursive poetry that aligned with the poetic charm and form, while Qian Chenqun emphasized the harmonious relationship between the discursive function of poetry and its structural progression. Finally, the discussion also involved the identity of the poetic subject. The rise of “scholarly poetry” reflected a close connection between poetry and scholarship and the evolving relationship between poetry and scholarship and the evolving relationship between poetry and prose.
The “Two Elders of the Southeast” consciously pursued a new visage for poetry, which entailed adjusting and reconstructing the relationship between creation and exemplars. Qing dynasty poets recognized their position in poetic history, driving the deepening and refinement of poetic theory. Throughout the process of this poetic transition, they constantly sought new motivational forces to compose poetry.
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