The Late-Ming Poet Ch'en Tzu-Lung

A critical analysis of shih and tz'u poetry of late-Ming literatus Ch'en Tzu-lung (1608-47), who even though were deemed to be one of the best poets in 17th century by his contemporaries, his literary oeuvres were not widely accessible until hundred years later, when Emperor Ch'ien Lung canonized him as a model of loyalist (same destiny as Wu Wei-yeh). Kang-i Sun Chang excellently analyzes Ch'en's exchange tz'u poetry with Liu Shih, the renowned courtesan among literati circle, examines the revival of tz'u poetry in the 17th century and argues for the ambiguity of loyalism and love in tz'u genre. Meanwhile, the author also presents how the direct and literal patriotism in shih by Ch'en revealed a different world from the metaphorical and symbolic tendencies in tz'u. What is at center of the monograph is the generic boundary between shih and tz'u in late imperial China.