On the Elegance Turn of Cao Xun's Ci Poems

As one of the masters in slow-rhythmed Ci poems during the Northern Song dynasty(960-1127),Cao Xun(1098?-1174) successfully changed the then stereotype of Ci poems as nothing more than flowery description of romances.By integrating his personality and aesthetic tastes,he presented an implied and elegant style of Ci poems,thereby boosting the elegant turn of poetry in the literary circles.In the content of his poems,he tried to choose the distinguished sentiments of men of letters instead of the specious topics,and put poetry back to its essence of elegance;as to his poetic skills,he sought an implied artistic style,building his poems on his knowledge and insight.Cao's poetic philosophy and practice was directly attributed to the then poetic fashion and artistic trend,his personal literary attainments,and his father Cao Zu's literary career.