Lu Ji (Shiheng)
Lu Ji 陸機 | |
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| Born | Family name: Lu (陸) Given name: Ji (機) Courtesy name: Shiheng (士衡) 261 |
| Died | c.November 303 (aged 42) |
| Occupation | Essayist, military general, politician, writer |
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Lu Ji (261 – c. November 303
Life
Lu Ji was related to the imperial family of the state of
Writings
Lu Ji wrote much lyric poetry but is better known for writing fu, a mixture of prose and poetry. He is best remembered for the Wen fu (文賦; On Literature), a piece of literary criticism that discourses on the principles of composition. Achilles Fang commented:
The Wen-fu is considered one of the most articulate treatises on Chinese poetics. The extent of its influence in Chinese literary history is equaled only by that of the sixth-century The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons of Liu Hsieh. In the original, the Wen-fu is rhymed, but does not employ regular rhythmic patterns: hence the term "rhymeprose."[4]
English translations of the Wen fu were done by E.R. Hughes and Achilles Fang.[2] Chen Shixiang translated Wen fu into verse because, although the piece was rightly called the beginning of Chinese literary criticism, Lu Ji wrote it as poetry.[5] Poets who have been influenced by Lu's Wen fu include Ezra Pound, Gary Snyder, Howard Nemirov, Eleanor Wilner, Carolyn Kizer.[2] The norwegian poet Olav. H. Hauge, also cites Lu Ji as one of his inspirations.[6]
Lu Ji is also the writer of the oldest extant work of Chinese calligraphy, a short letter to his friends that has been named the Pingfutie (Consoling Letter).[7]
See also
Notes
- ^ Both vol. 85 of Zizhi Tongjian and Emperor Hui's biography in Jin Shu indicate that Lu Ji was defeated on the wu'shen day of the 10th month of the 2nd year of the Tai'an era; the date corresponds to 3 Nov 303 in the Julian calendar. The same volume in Tongjian and Lu Ji's biography in Jin Shu indicate that he was executed shortly after this defeat. Thus, Lu Ji likely died in November 303. His biography in Jin Shu indicate that he was 43 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.
- ^ OCLC 22890074.
- ISBN 0-8112-1540-7.
- ISBN 0-8112-1540-7.
- ^ Lu (1952), p. vii.
- ^ https://www.nb.no/items/b8fcb4f7319fd5a4aad4780984c560d3?page=27&searchText=olav%20h.%20hauges%20poetikk
- ^ Hua, Ning. "A Consoling Letter (Pingfu tie)". The Palace Museum.
References
- 2005 Encyclopædia Britannica, copyrighted 1994-2005
- Li, Siyong and Wei, Fengjuan, "Li Ji". Encyclopedia of China (Chinese Literature Edition), 1st ed.
- Lu, Ji (1952). Essay on Literature. Translated by Chen, Shixiang. Portland, Me.: Anthoensen Press.
