The Cultural Background of Qu Yuan's Works Being Called Classics

The compiling style of the present edition of Chu Ci was set by Liu An,which regards Qu Yuan's works as classics equal to Confucian classics and is annotated with commentary.In the early Western Han dynasty when Confucianism had not acquired its absolute dominance,the dynasty founded by Liu Bang,a native of the former Chu state,admired Qu Yuan's works very much,the excellent representative of the Chu culture.Even during the reign of Emperor Han Wu when respecting Confucianism was advocated,the flexible cultural policy provided ample space for Qu Yuan's works to be regarded as classics.As the Chu culture was integrated with cultures of other regions,the unified Han culture came into being.As Confucianism occupied the dominant place in the social ideology,the Han dynasty did not need to advocate the Chu culture and the truth of Qu Yuan's works being called classics was gradually covered under the dust of history.