The Chinese Middle The Chinese Middle PeriodPeriod

Poetry of T’ao Ch’ienPoetry of T’ao Ch’ien

Chinese HistoryChinese History

22ndnd century, the Han Empire crumbled, families century, the Han Empire crumbled, families and warlords dominated, peasant uprisings and warlords dominated, peasant uprisings occurred, and social order collapsed, all occurred, and social order collapsed, all resulting in widespread disenchantment with resulting in widespread disenchantment with Confucian values of public serviceConfucian values of public service

33rdrd century – 3 Kingdoms ruled: West =Shu, century – 3 Kingdoms ruled: West =Shu, South = Wu, the heart was Ts’ao Ts’ao, which South = Wu, the heart was Ts’ao Ts’ao, which fell in AD 220, ending the Han dynasty.fell in AD 220, ending the Han dynasty.

Chinese HistoryChinese History

After Han, Wei began, but Chin overthrew After Han, Wei began, but Chin overthrew Wei and reunified China briefly. Chin fell Wei and reunified China briefly. Chin fell in 316 to northern invaders.in 316 to northern invaders.

After northern invasion, 2 dynasties, north After northern invasion, 2 dynasties, north ruled by non-Chinese, south by a ruled by non-Chinese, south by a succession of Chinese dynastiessuccession of Chinese dynasties

Confucianism ebbed, but Taoist sects Confucianism ebbed, but Taoist sects focused on medical, alchemical, and focused on medical, alchemical, and magical arts flourished.magical arts flourished.

Chinese HistoryChinese History

After northern invasion, great families fled After northern invasion, great families fled south to prince-led branch of dynastysouth to prince-led branch of dynasty

Great families were Chinese aristocracyGreat families were Chinese aristocracy Buddhism a major force in aristocracyBuddhism a major force in aristocracy People admired individualism and People admired individualism and

eccentricityeccentricity

Chinese HistoryChinese History Northern dynasty supplanted by T’ang Dynasty, Northern dynasty supplanted by T’ang Dynasty,

age of cultural confidence and expansionage of cultural confidence and expansion During T’ang Dynasty, poetry central part of During T’ang Dynasty, poetry central part of

society that recorded both individual and society that recorded both individual and historical events.historical events.

T’ang fell in 907T’ang fell in 907 960 Sung Dynasty began after time of warring, 960 Sung Dynasty began after time of warring,

and aristocracy lost power, gov’t opened to new and aristocracy lost power, gov’t opened to new social groupssocial groups

T’ang and Sung Dynasties make up the Middle T’ang and Sung Dynasties make up the Middle Period of China’s historyPeriod of China’s history

T’ao Ch’ienT’ao Ch’ien

365 – 427365 – 427 IndividualistIndividualist Family was poor, provincial gentryFamily was poor, provincial gentry Proud of his “bumbling naïveté” and Proud of his “bumbling naïveté” and

simple, rural life & farm laborsimple, rural life & farm labor Peasant farmer idealized by Chinese Peasant farmer idealized by Chinese

tradition, and T’ao Ch’ien chose this life tradition, and T’ao Ch’ien chose this life and found contentmentand found contentment

T’ao Ch’ienT’ao Ch’ien

Served aristocracy in positions of prominence, Served aristocracy in positions of prominence, such as magistrate of P’eng-tse, but he always such as magistrate of P’eng-tse, but he always quit or lost the post after a short time.quit or lost the post after a short time.

After retirement, he wrote After retirement, he wrote The ReturnThe Return, a long , a long poempoem

Had a fascination with freedom and the natural Had a fascination with freedom and the natural lifelife

Believed one can only be happy when one’s true Believed one can only be happy when one’s true nature was not violated.nature was not violated.