Textual Research on ZHENG Xuan's Interpretations of the Poetry by the Yi

ZHENG Xuan's Notes to MAO's Commentaries on the Poetry have always been playing an important role in the history of the studies of the Classic of Poetry.Particularly,his studies by social systems with ancient rituals have been regarded as an important development of the studies of the Poetry since Confucius.Yet,as an indispensable component in his studies of the Poetry,ZHENG Xuan's interpretations of the Poetry by the Yi are usually neglected.Through regulating his Notes to the Poetry and his Commentaries on the Yi,this paper points out that although ZHENG Xuan's notes to the Poetry by the images of the Yi are by large not coherent and sometimes are at random,his taking use of contemporary social notions and theories to express his understanding of the Poetry could enrich and deepen metaphoric expressions,concept of the Mandate of Heaven,and satirizing function of the Poetry,revealing a new approach and orientation to the studies of the Poetry of the Han dynasty(206 BCE-220 CE).