Public and Private in Leterary Text: A Study of Su Shi's Poetry, Letters and Anthologies

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00369
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02020:Chinese literature-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Asami Yoji 大阪大学, 大学院人文学研究科(人文学専攻、芸術学専攻、日本学専攻), 教授 (70184158)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 文学テクスト / 公私 / 蘇軾 / 詩 / 詞 / 書簡 / 文集

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In an examination of the poetry, letters and anthologies of Su Shi, a representative poet and writer of the Song Dynasty, and with attention to the societal perspective of men of letters, the following main points were clarified.
(1)Differing from imperial edicts and presentations to the throne, which are exclusively in the public domain, poetry and letters are textual forms that are produced and received across both public and private spheres. Su Shi’s poems and letters clearly feature such characteristic, unseen in preceding literature.
(2)The works of Su Shi, who was subjected to political persecution, were suppressed, and therefore not accepted in the public domain. However, Su Shi cleverly circumvented such treatment, continuing to write poetry and letters in the private sphere, wherein his unique expression strategy appears.

Free Research Field

中国文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の文学研究は、ややもすると文学作品本体の文学性を中心に据えて行われる嫌いがあった。それに対して本研究は、作品をとりまく社会的圏域の在り方を視野に入れた点で独創的な学術的意義を有する。
本研究では特に「公私」という観点から、蘇軾の文集に収められた詩詞・書簡を検討し、そこに表現された文人の「私」的世界が、「公」的な社会圏域との間にいかなる緊張関係を有しているかを明らかにした。これは、「公」と「私」の関係性が急速に変容を強いられている現代社会における個人の在り方を省みるうえでも参考の価値がある。その点において、一定の社会的意義を有すると考えられる。