Evolution of Poetic Composition Theories from Shilin Shihua to Chengzhai Shihua

Abstract

Ye Mengde, a well-known Chinese poet and poetry critic in the Song Dynasty, advocated the concept of implicit naturalness in his work, Shilin Shihua (Shilin’s Remarks on Poetry). He emphasized that the use of allusions in poetic composition should not be far-fetched and demanded that words and sentences be refined and hammered. Based on Ye’s insights, Yang Wanli, another famous Chinese poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, further developed the theory. In Chengzhai Shihua (Chengzhai’s Remarks on Poetry), he proposed that the essence of poetry lies in “poems being concluded while the taste remains eternal,” paid attention to the skillful integration of idioms and allusions, advocated the importance of creating “stunning verses” in writing poetry, and practiced what he preached by actively engaging in poetic composition. He shattered the traditional conventions of the late Jiangxi School of Poetry, created the unique “Chengzhai Style” characterized by freshness and liveliness, and injected a vibrant “poetic taste” into poetry, enhancing the role of poetic composition theory in guiding poetry creation practices.