An Argument on the "Decline" or "Upheaval" of Chinese Literary Theory in the Tang,Song,Jin,and Yuan Dynasties

Some Japanese scholars once asserted that Chinese literary theory declined in Tang,Song,Jin,and Yuan dynasties.This view doesn't agree with historical facts.In fact,Chinese literary theory didn't decline but upheave till Tang,Song,Jin,and Yuan dynasties.The Tang Dynasty made its own contributions to Chinese poetics and literary theory.Further deepening results of formal movement in Wei,Jin,Northern and Southern Dynasties,it contributed the view of antithesis,promoting establishment of five-character and seven-character metrical poems,and view of realm,marking rise of one of primary theoretical bases of Chinese and literary criticism.In late Tang Dynasty,Sikong Tu offered views of effect beyond rhymes and aim beyond taste,which made profound influence in later days.Up till Song Dynasty,a real great properity and upheaval occurred in world of poetic and literary criticism.Varieties of critical works,such poetic review,ci-poetry review,and literary review appeared one after another,starting an unprecedented flourishing period of Chinese literature.Till Ming and Qing Dynasties,Chinese poetic and literary criticism had been well-established as a field of humanistic study.