On Zhu Xi's Criticisms of the Poetry Composed Over the Dynasties

The main subjects of Zhu Xi's criticisms of the poetry composed over the dynasties are Selected Poetry (of Early Tang), Tang poetry, and Song poetry, and his discussions of poetry covered the whole range of poetry up to his own time. Zhu thought most highly of Selected Poeal and concluded that these poems should serve as the model for pets to come. He was the first whO gave the most accurate evaluation to the prosaic style of Tao Yuanming.For Tang poetry he held that Li Bai and Du Fu should be the models, and was positive about the part of Li and Du's poetry that observed.the rules of poetry with a solid style easy to be followed. Although he held in highest es- teem the natural and simple style of early Tang poetry, he did not stress the past at the expense of the present; he was positive about most major Tang and Song poets. Zhu's criticisms were intended to address the problems of the poetry of his own time, and made good reference for the following generations.