Abstract
The impact of Gu Kuang's retrospective poetics on his creative work is evident in his emulation of ancient musical bureaus and poetic themes, as well as in his pursuit of the tonal and emotional resonance of the Han and Wei Dynasties. His retrospective poetics are most distinctly reflected in his thirteen chapters of Supplementary Elegies, in which he studied the creative methods of Book of Songs and Shu Xi's elegies. In his work, Gu developed new modes of composition, particularly the method of exegesis. His poetic philosophy and creative approach were derived from the Minor Odes (xiaoya), characterized by admonitory satire and a pursuit of elegance and propriety. He advocated for literature from before the Jian'an and Zhengshi periods, aiming to promote national stability and wise governance by the monarch. As a result, Gu Kuang became an important figure in the development of retrospective poetics from the High Tang to Mid-Tang periods.
Keywords
Gu Kuang, supplementary elegies, supplementary elegies exegesis, retrospective poetics
First Page
131
Last Page
140
Recommended Citation
Sui, Xuechun. 2025. "The Creative Practice of Gu Kuang's Retrospective Poetics and Its Significance in Literary History." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 45, (3): pp.131-140. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol45/iss3/13
