The history of China can be traced back to approximately 5000 years ago, and the written language matured around 1300 BCE. After the maturation of the written language, literature began to flourish in China; it grew voluminous, sophisticated, and kaleidoscopic, to a degree that is unparalleled in the history of humanity. However, amidst various themes delineated in literary works, one appears to be particularly note-worthy and later becomes a tradition, an epitome, of Chinese literature: reclusion. Due to the love toward nature, the influence of Taoism, and the frustration in their political trajectory, many classical writer express their pinning to an withdrawal from their political career and a reclusive lifestyle surrounded by landscape.
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Shi Su, a great poet and writer in Song Dynasty, was involved in a political intrigue against him when he works at court. Several courtier who holds different political views with Su tries to find evidence in Su’s poem that Su endeavors to commit treason, which is not true. Due to credulity, the king exiles Su to a remote place as a local mayor. Disenchanted, Su no longer cares about politics and thus devote himself to the nature and the composition of literature.
Taoism, contrary, and in a sense reciprocal, to confucianism, promotes the value of nature and isolation from society; the influence of Taoism is found and inherited in the works of many Chinese reclusive writing.
By examining the historical, cultural, and social context of Chinese reclusive literature, we can see why it is popular: to some degree resembling Romantic oeuvre under western tradition, Chinese reclusive literature offers to its audience, and to the author himself, a way to escape from reality, an utopia rooted in Taoism’s doctrine, and an encomium toward nature. Admittedly, reclusive literature is a quintessential component of Chinese literary tradition, but, nevertheless, it is by no means the most quintessential: any stereotype will impede the progress of discovering and appreciating the real diversity of Chinese
Shi Su, a great poet and writer in Song Dynasty, was involved in a political intrigue against him when he works at court. Several courtier who holds different political views with Su tries to find evidence in Su’s poem that Su endeavors to commit treason, which is not true. Due to credulity, the king exiles Su to a remote place as a local mayor. Disenchanted, Su no longer cares about politics and thus devote himself to the nature and the composition of literature.
Taoism, contrary, and in a sense reciprocal, to confucianism, promotes the value of nature and isolation from society; the influence of Taoism is found and inherited in the works of many Chinese reclusive writing.
By examining the historical, cultural, and social context of Chinese reclusive literature, we can see why it is popular: to some degree resembling Romantic oeuvre under western tradition, Chinese reclusive literature offers to its audience, and to the author himself, a way to escape from reality, an utopia rooted in Taoism’s doctrine, and an encomium toward nature. Admittedly, reclusive literature is a quintessential component of Chinese literary tradition, but, nevertheless, it is by no means the most quintessential: any stereotype will impede the progress of discovering and appreciating the real diversity of Chinese