The Return as a Style of Ci

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Other Title
  • 「歸去來兮辭」の「辭」について
  • キキョライケイジ ノ ジ ニ ツイテ
  • 「帰去来兮辞」の「辞」について

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Abstract

Tao Yuan-ming (365-427)'s The Return 歸去來兮辭 is not only one of the most well-known elegic verses, but also the one and only written in a style of ci 辭 in his literary works. Why did he choose the style of ci among so many styles and genres, when he decided to abandon his office and return home? There is no doubt that when he wrote The Return he kept The Elegies of Chu (Chu Ci) in his mind. He used the word, "xi" 兮 which was characteristic of The Elegies of Chu, the last paragraph which begins with the phrase "It is all over" 已矣乎 is similar to summarization form "luan" 亂 in The Elegies of Chu which also often begins with the phrase "It is all over" 已矣哉. The style of ci has its origin in The Elegies of Chu. Taking it into consideration that Tao Yuan-ming decided to renounce the world and write this declaration to lead a secluded life, we can find close relationship to the chapter of The engaging the hermits (Zhao Yinshi) 招隱士 in The Elegies of Chu. A number of poems similar to those of engaging the hermit were written in the era of Western Jin Dynasty, several decades before Tao Yuan-ming. Having based upon these poems, he chose the style of ci which was closely associated with The Elegies of Chu. Therefore, he used the phrase "Go back home" 歸去來, in order to declare himself against being engaged as a hermit.

Journal

  • 中國文學報

    中國文學報 61 1-18, 2000-10

    CHINESE LITERATURE ASSOCIATION, DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, FACULTY OF LETTERS, KYÔTO UNIVERSITY

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