Abstract
From a diachronic perspective, Zou Yang, a figure of the early Han dynasty, underwent a transformation from a lobbyist to a literatus. Influenced by Mei Sheng, Zou Yang incorporated himself into the tradition of TheBookof Songsand The Songs of Chu, emphasizing the aesthetic function of verse. His “A Letter to the King of Liang in Prison” contained the key elements of verse in the distinction between verse and prose, such as the use of rhetorical devices. In addition, as verse required the harmony of syllables, Zou Yang promoted the stylistic distinction between verse and prose, and heralded the self-consciousness of verse writing.
Keywords
lobby, literati, allusion, antithesis
First Page
140
Last Page
150
Recommended Citation
Wang, Chunhong. 2023. "The Distinction between Wen(Verse) and Bi (Prose): Zou Yang’s Contribution to the Establishing of Verse." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 43, (2): pp.140-150. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol43/iss2/14
