When we talk about anything, we need a standard. So, what is the standard of talking about poetry? Yan Yu, a poetry critic in the Song Dynasty, took "endless words and endless meanings" as the standard of good poetry in Cang Lang Shi Hua. Wang Guowei put forward that "the realm of words is the highest" in "Ci on Earth". If there is a realm, it will be self-contained, and it will have its own famous sentence. "Whether there is a realm is the main basis for evaluating poetry. In modern times, some literary critics like to re-examine and locate the history of China literature with the trend of western literary thoughts. The change of perspective has given birth to many new opinions and also caused many misunderstandings, such as "ism" in literature, which is a typical misunderstanding. For example, ancient poets divided into "ism", saying that Wang Wei was "naturalism", Du Fu was "realism", Su Shi was "romanticism" and Li Shangyin was "formalism". Li Yining thinks that such a division is meaningless. Understanding a poem, or a poet, will lose its vivid connotation and generalization if it is divorced from the writing environment at that time. No matter who it is, if the written work is neither touching nor touching, it can't be a good poem or a good word.
Let's take an example: the partridge sky in Zhao Ding.
Quail day
Healthy shangyuanzuo
(Song) Zhao Ding
When the passenger road moved in chronological order, it suddenly surprised Momo Branch. The ends of the earth are sad, thinking of the heyday of that year.
Flowers make a shadow, the moon flows brightly, and Shuigong flies five times. I clearly felt Hua Xu's dream, and when I looked back, I was full of tears.
Zhao Ding was persecuted by Qin Gui, exiled to Yazhou, Hainan, and died in exile. Li Yining thinks the word Zhao Ding is very touching. 1994, when he was at the ends of the earth in sanya, Hainan, he thought of the word Zhao Ding, and he wrote a song called "born faults":
Shengchazi
Sanya, the end of the world, was the exile place of Zhao Ding in Song Dynasty.
Yining Li
A toast is full of affection, and a cup is full of sorrow. Looking for prosperity, dreams break Lin' an Road.
In late spring in Yazhou, there are few peach blossoms in the wind. I saw seagulls flying, accompanied by old people.
As can be seen from the words, Li Yining appreciates Zhao Ding's Partridge Day and sympathizes with Zhao Ding's situation.
An author has written many poems in his life. How to evaluate them fairly? Li Yining proposed that a poet should be judged by his most representative works, and all his works should not be considered good just because he wrote many good poems. You can't kill a poet just because some of his works are not excellent. Readers can have their own opinions, and don't be easily confused by the so-called authoritative views. Every poem should be understood with your heart. Good poetry should be touching and make people love reading and memorizing.
For example, some of Han Yu's five ancient and seven ancient poems are unique, but they are awkward and difficult to catchy. Li Yining doesn't like this kind of poem, but he praises Han Yu's Seven Laws "Moving to the Left to Show Grandnephew's Item" because it is a very touching poem:
Left moved to Languan to show his grandnephew.
(Tang) Han Yu
A letter is typed in the sky, and eight thousand in Chaozhou Road in the evening.
If you want to eliminate disasters for saints, you are willing to decline and cherish the old.
Where is the home of Yunheng Qinling? The heavy snow hindered the horse's progress.
Knowing that you came all the way, you should have done it on purpose so that I could collect the bones by the river.
In his later years, Han Yu went to the "Buddha's Bone Table", which offended Long Yan and was almost sentenced to death. After being interceded by others, he was changed to belittle Chaozhou secretariat. When I went to Languan, my nephew Han Xiang came to accompany me, and Han Yu wrote these seven laws. The whole poem is tragic, gloomy and frustrated, and the feeling of sadness is touching.
Some of Han Yu's four wonders are natural and fresh. For example:
In early spring, Qi Jue became a member of the Water Affairs Bureau Zhang.
(Tang) Han Yu
There is a lot of silk in the sky above the avenue, which is as delicate and moist as butter. The grass is vaguely connected in the distance, but it looks sparse in the near future.
This is the most beautiful season of the year, far better than the late spring of the green willow.
Seven wonders, the early return of small towns and States
(Tang) Han Yu
Don't come to Willow Street, just want to fly with the spring breeze.
There is also a small garden of peaches and plums. Leave the flowers to be returned.
Another example is Li Yining's point of view. Qin Guan is famous for his ci, and some of his poems are very touching when they are written about feelings of parting. For example:
Nangezi
(Song) Qin Guan
Jade leaks all the way, and silver is faint. I haven't fully woken up from my dream, but I was reminded by the chicken next door, afraid of dawn.
The makeup on the arm is still there, and the tears are still on the chest. The lamp by the water is drifting away, and there are three stars in the sky.
Subtract Mulan
(Song) Qin Guan
Distant end of the world, cold, cold, lonely days without help. I want to know how I am knotted, like Zhuan Xu incense in a golden furnace.
Long eyebrows are always locked so that the spring breeze can't stretch. Tired of leaning on the railings of high-rise buildings, watching geese fly, every word is melancholy.
However, people seldom pay attention to Qin Guan's poems, and rarely mention Qin Guan when talking about Song poetry. In addition, the seven wonders of the Tang Dynasty are the most touching, while the seven wonders of the Song Dynasty are generally ignored. However, Li Yining thinks that the Four Wonders in Tang Dynasty are good, and there are also masterpieces in Song Dynasty, especially the following two poems by Qin Guan, which are not as good as the Four Wonders in Tang Dynasty in terms of sentence making and rhythm.
Sizhou Dongcheng Wang Wan, No.4 Station
(Song) Qin Guan
Surrounded by white waves, people are whispering.
The top of the forest is picturesque, and it should be the mountain where the Huaihe River flows.
The Seven Wonders of Autumn
(Song) Qin Guan
The gullies in first frost are clear, and there are countless cold stars beside the boat.
There was no land in the depths of the river, and suddenly there was laughter.
There are also the following two four-character poems by poets, which Li Yining thinks are as good as those of the Tang Dynasty:
Qijue Su Xinshi Xugong Branch
(Song) Yang Wanli
The fence is sparse, a path leads to the distance, and the petals on the tree fall, but the shade has not yet formed.
The child ran quickly to catch the yellow butterfly, but the butterfly suddenly flew into the vegetable garden and could not be found again.
Four stops of Huzhou songs
(Song) Wang Yuanliang
Looking at Yanyun in the north, there is no end, and Dajiangdong goes to the water.
Sunset is outside Western jackdaw in the west, which is 400 states in the southeast.
Li Yining believes that poetry is the most important of the five unique poems of Tang poetry; However, there were also excellent works in the Song Dynasty, such as:
Five Unique Jiang Shang Yu Zhe
(Song) Fan Zhongyan
People who come to the river often only love perches.
Look at those poor fishermen, floating up and down in the big waves and rocking in the boats.
Wu Jue zhong shan
(Song) Wang Anshi
The moon rises and the clouds return.
Spring morning dew, clothes fragrant temples shadow.
Five wonders Qiao Liu night scene
(Song) Lu You
Pupu hears the fish jump and waits for the crane to return.
Idle clouds don't make rain, flying beside the blue mountain.
The above poems are natural and simple, not inferior to the five wonders of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Yining's point of view reminds us that the analysis of poetry should go deep into the world of poetry itself and should not be influenced by external evaluation standards. Poetry uses the power of feeling to arouse readers' feelings. Appreciating poetry should be empathetic, which is the highest realm and the most important reason why people appreciate and love poetry.
With this standard, we can distinguish what is cliche imitation and what is ingenious and natural borrowing. Generally speaking, poetry creation is the most taboo, and there will be no good poetry by imitation. The reason why a poem can impress readers is often because the image is fresh and natural, and also because of its unique language style. A good poem, like a painting with a unique perspective, can make us feel extraordinary things from ordinary scenery. However, there are also some poems that, although heavily imitated by predecessors, can also glow with new vitality after being touched by the author's unique situation and emotions.
Li Yining believes that the Song Dynasty Wu Ji's "Man Moon Circle" is an example:
Man-moon circle
(Song) Wu Ji
In the Southern Dynasties, it was an eternal sadness, and the flowers were still singing. In the past, Xie Wang, the swallow in front of the hall, flew to whose house?
Suddenly a dream, the fairy muscle wins the snow, and the palace temple piles crows. Jiangzhou Sima, a tearful shirt, is the end of the world.
When Wu Ji was in Song Qinzong, she was ordered to go to the State of Jin and was detained by the Jin people. Later, he became an official in the state of Jin. One day, I attended a banquet in the royal family of the Jin Dynasty. I saw Jizuo wine in the small palace captured after the death of the Song Dynasty, and I wrote this song "Man and the Full Moon" with emotion. In this poem, whether it is "* * * Flowers", "Old Xie Wang", "Swallow in front of the hall" or "Immortal muscle wins snow", "Clothes are wet with tears" all come from previous poems. However, Li Yining believes that quoting these images of predecessors does not prevent it from becoming a masterpiece with sincere feelings. First, it is natural and smooth to use, and there is no trace of axe chisel. Second, when the author goes abroad to miss his hometown, he achieves emotional harmony with his predecessors, because it is sincere and touching. 1957, Li Yining and his classmate Ma Yong talked about this word, and both of them thought it was a masterpiece:
Four Unique and Ma Yong talked about Wu Ji's "A Full Moon Night" and had the same view.
Yining Li
Although there are predecessors' words in the words, it naturally comes easily.
This situation cannot be discussed, and touching famous sentences are passed down from generation to generation.
As far as the evaluation of poets is concerned, as mentioned above, Li Yining pointed out that the authors of poems should not be classified as "ism", and many poems cannot be classified as "ism" at all. For example:
Five Laws: Farewell to Ancient Grass
(Tang) Bai Juyi
The long grass is so lush that the withered grass will thicken the color of the grass every autumn and winter.
Wildfire can't burn it out, but the spring breeze can revive it.
Weeds and wild flowers are all over the ancient road, and the end of the grass in the sun is your journey.
I once again sent my bosom friend, and the thick grass represented my deep affection.
Can you call this naturalism, realism or romanticism? A few similar examples can be cited:
Seven-stop Jiang Shang
(Song) Wang Anshi
The autumn shade in Jiangbei is half open, and the sunset glow is rainy.
There is no road in the green hills, and there is another village. Suddenly, I saw Qian Fan looming.
Operator Bu sent Bao Haoran to East Zhejiang.
(Song) Wang Guan
Water looks like a beautiful woman's eyes, like a beautiful frown. Where are you going? To the intersection of mountains and rivers.
Take the spring water and send you back. If you go to the south, you can catch up with spring, and you must keep the scenery of spring.
Bodhisattva is beautiful
Wei's wife (Song)
The mountains are hidden in the sunset and the balcony is moving. Two or three families on the other side have an affair.
Green Di Yang left the road and went to the stream in the morning and evening. Third, see Liu Mianfei, not from the people.
These poems are very touching, but it is difficult to distinguish them from the perspective of "ism" If we insist on evaluating them with "ism", we will lose the meaning of appreciating poetry.
Li Yining also pointed out that elegant and complicated words may not impress people. It is no accident that some poems have been passed down orally for many years, although their words are simple and peaceful, and there are no traces of carving. There must be something attractive about these poems. Among them, the most representative are some excellent works. Because of the short space, there is no room for stacking words and sentences, and the requirements for simplicity and clarity of words are particularly high. Li Yining wrote in his reading notes: "In poetry, the five verses are the most difficult to write. Writing naturally, just 20 words has a deeper meaning, which is not easy. " The following three five-line poems were repeatedly mentioned by Li Yining in his lectures:
Five unique acacia species
(Tang) Wang Wei
Red bean shrubs grow in the south and produce many branches in spring.
People who want to miss them collect more, and Mix red beans have attracted people's attention.
Five wonders Xiao Chun.
(Tang) Meng Haoran
Sleeping sickness in spring unconsciously broke the morning, and the chirping of birds disturbed my sleep.
How many flowers fall after a stormy night.
Five wonders Jiang Xue.
Liu Zongyuan (Tang Dynasty)
There are no birds flying over those mountains, and there are no traces of people in those paths.
A boat on the river, a fisherman wearing his webworm moth; Fishing alone is not afraid of snow and ice.
Look at a few more four-line:
Four stops on vacation in the mountains remind me of my brothers in Shandong.
(Tang) Wang Wei
I am a lonely stranger in a strange land, and I miss my family more often during the holidays.
When I think of my brothers' bodies climbing high, I will feel a little regret for not being able to reach me.
Seven Jue prefect chengnan Zhuang
(Tang) Cui Hu
Last spring, in this door, the girl's face contrasted with the peach.
Today, I came here again. I don't know where the girl went. Only the peach blossoms are still there, smiling in full bloom in the spring breeze.
Qingming four musts
(Tang) Du Mu
A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day; The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Excuse me, where is the restaurant? The shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village.
Qijue Shuhe Pavilion Wall
(Song) Kou Zhun
The shore is wide and sparse, and the waves are slender. You can't just rely on the threshold of danger to think about how long it is.
The rustling trees are far from the forest, and the autumn mountains are half sunset.
After the rain, Chuqing Lake.
(Song) Su Shi
The water is bright and sunny, and the mountains are cloudy and rainy.
If there are more dead beauties in the West Lake, C+ is so appropriate.
Four Wonders: Hui Chong Chunjiang Night Scene
(Song) Su Shi
Two or three peach blossoms outside the bamboo forest and ducks in the water first noticed the warm spring.
The beach is covered with wormwood, asparagus is beginning to sprout, and puffer fish are preparing to swim upstream from the sea back to the river.
Li Yining said in class: "The Five Musts are difficult to write, and so are the Seven Musts. If the seven wonders are not well written, they will become vulgar and have no lasting appeal. " The seven wonders of Tang and Song mentioned above are all excellent works. Li Yining also said: "If poetry is difficult to remember, it means that it does not attract enough people to sing, or it is not catchy in rhythm, so it is difficult to remember." Therefore, in addition to whether the content is vivid and touching, whether it can be remembered by people is also one of the criteria for evaluating the quality of poetry. If poetry is to be easy for people to recite, it must first be widely understood.