英文摘要 |
Remembrances of the Sichuan-Shaanxi area are an important theme in Lu You’s 陸游 poetry. To date, most research on this feature of his poetry has focused on the content of those memories and the contrasts between his recollections and the actual conditions of the time without considering why it was that Lu You consistently returned to memories of travel in that region in his works. This article takes a new look at this type of poetry by treating remembrances as a reflection on the present. It concludes that the poet uses these memories of a distant journey to not only affirm the good to be found in the moment at hand, but also to accept flaws, and even philosophize on how to lead a fulfilling life. In this way, remembering the past becomes a way of living vigorously in the present, at the same time as creating a new form of writing about the self. This understanding of Lu You’s writing not only differs considerably from the received stereotypes about works of remembrance in classical Chinese literature, but also acts as a corrective to the view that Lu You’s patriotic and naturalistic poems are fundamentally unrelated. |