Literary Societies

What is a Literary Society

A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of literature or a specific writer. Modern literary societies typically promote, research about their chosen author or genre, publish newsletters, and hold meetings where research findings can be presented and discussed. Some are more academic and scholarly, while others are more social groups of amateurs who appreciate a chance to discuss their favorite writer with other hobbyists.

Literature Soceities exsisted very early on in Chinese History though this page will only look at littereray Societies from the Ming onward.

Ming Dynasty Litterary Societies (1368-1644)

Gongan and Jingling Schools

The Gongan School Focuesed on criticizing those scholars who imitated classical writings blindly. Gong'an School believed that different times have different literature, and objected to how Classical Revival Movement blindly elevated ancient literature and looked down upoun current literature. Prose created by the Gong'an School broke the yoke of conventional patterns and developed its own individuality. The language in their prose is simple and plain. Major members of the Gong'an School were Yuan Zongdao, Yuan Hongdao (1568-1610), and Yuan Zhongdao

Poems by Yuan Hongdao notice the plainess and directness compared to the classical writings.

THE CAPITAL
Bright are the city walls of the capital;
Red-robed officials shout on broad streets.
There is a white-headed destitute scholar;
Hanging from his mule's saddle, sheaves of poems.
Clasping his calling card, he knocks on doors for work;
The gate keepers smirk at one another.
Ten try and ten fail;
Walk the streets, his face is haggard.
Always fear in serving the rich;
Sorry your flattery isn't quick enough.
Over an eye a black eyepatch;
Half blind, the fellow is old!

A STRANGE PRIEST
Bought his mantle to escape draft and taxes;
Now he's the head priest amid his splendor.
Recites incantations, but sounds like a bird;
Writes Sanscrit that looks like twisted weeds.
With his begging bowl he distributes food of the spirit;
On his seat he faces the lamp of Buddha;
If you don't devote you whole body and soul,
How can there be anywhere Buddhism at all?

Existing simultaneously with the Gong'an School was also the Jingling School, whose most famous member's were Zhong Xing and Tan Yuanchun. Like the Gong'an School, the Jingling School also claimed to express natural character and intelligence of humanity.

Jiangxi School

The 4 Books and 5 Classics [10]

The Jiangxi School was associated with the followers of Huang Tingjian. Huang Tingjian (Chinese: 黄庭堅) (1045–1105) was a Chinese artist. He is predominantly known as a calligrapher, but was also admired for his painting and poetry. He was one of the Four masters of the Song Dynasty, and was a student of Su Shi at his school of literati painting.Huang is generally regarded as the finest and most creative calligrapher of the Song Dynasty.

Early to Middle Qing

Qian Fenglun most Prominet member of the Banana Garden Poetry Club [10]

Banana Garden Poetry Club

The Banana Garden Poetry Club (Jiaoyuan shi she) was a late 17th century. women's poetry group Founded by Gu Yurui for her daughter Qian Fenglun. Founded in 1644, its members consisted of wealth woman from Qian who were wifes sister or daughters to wealthy or politically powerful men. It was a Womens only society which most of it was focues on poetry composition yet Promoted acquiring graces through education scholarship and learning . Several years after thier exsistance they became Quite popular throghout the Yangzi River Delta.

A Winter Day Feast at Chai�Jixian’s Place

The stars record that the year is soon over,
The weather is icy, the air cold and desolate.
Shrubs and flowers wither in severe frost,
Heavy dewdrops evaporate in the dawn sun.
Overjoyed to meet with people of pure and simple minds,
We sit together in a beautiful mansion of iris and orchid.
Our merry words and laughter give rise to pleasant countenance and speech,
In harmony we devote ourselves to literary pursuits.
Illustrations and books lie scattered around the chamber,
A table made of yew displays our zithers and lutes.
As the birds disperse the hall becomes subdued,
As the clouds gather the curtains acquire dark shadows.
A life in seclusion keeps the hurly-burly of the world far away,
Standing aloof, our thoughts are idle and carefree.
Time flies like a shuttle on the loom,
I worry that our happy get-together will be over too soon.
Now that we’re tipsy we break into long songs,
Having enjoyed to the full such excellent hospitality!

During this time men were living in a meritocracy and able to move socialy while women were stuck in thier class. The above poem illistatres on of the founding principles of the banana garden society for the pursiut of knowledge. The image of the beautiful mansion of iris and orchid in Qian Fenglun’s poem alludes to the ancient poem ‘Xiang furen’ (‘The Lady of the Xiang’). By comparing the meeting place of the poetry club, the residence of Chai Jingyi, to the abode of the Xiang River Goddess, the poem links the pursuit of scholarship with the world of immortals – a realm that women tended to invoke in their poetry. In this way Qian’s poem endows the world of learning with the aura of femininity.

Tongcheng School

The Tongcheng School is the most distinguished among the mid-Qing Dynasty schools of literature. Its representative writers include Fang Bao, Liu Dakui and Yao Nai, who are all natives of Tongcheng County in Anhui Province, hence the name Tongcheng School. Fang Bao (1668-1749) carried on the tradition of works and made Yi Fa (Yi refers to the central ideas of an article; Fa, to literary forms and artistry) the basic theory of the Tongcheng School's writings.

Works created by the Tongcheng School stressed the elucidation of the article's purpose and didn't encourage loading the writings with fancy phrases; therefore their writings are concise and natural but lack animation.

Late Qing

Southern Society (1908-1922)

The Southern Society (Nanshe, 1908-22) the Nanshe was sometimes called the "literary arm" of that revolutionary organization, publishing some 22 volumes of poetry, and issues of literary style were hotly debated founded by Chen Qubing, Gao Kan, Liu Yazi and eventually had a membership of over 1,000, with branches in major cities after the GMD allied with the CCP, Liu Yazi became "intoxicated" by Marx and Bolshevism; the Nanshe was dissolved and the Xin nanshe (New Southern Society) was established; their forums were the Minguo ribao and the supplement Juewu (edited by Shao Lizi); Chen Qubing rejected this new orientation and set up his own competing Hunan branch of the Nanshe that opposed the New Culture movement being promoted by his erst while colleagues

Spring Willow Society

The Spring Willow Society(Chunlie She) Is extremely unique being that is was a Chinese litterary society that it was founded 1906 or early 1907 in Tokyo by a group of Chinese overseas students. Becuase of this it is still a Chinese literature society since it focused on chinese works and was made up of chinese members. It was the first modern dramatic society and focused on drama, theater and literature. it lead to several other societies founded in japan by Chinese students such as the Jisheng she (1908), Shenyou hui (1909), Wenyi xin juchang (1910), Xinju tongzhi hui (1912-ca.1915), Wenshe (1913), and Chunliu juchang (1914-19150. In 1918/1919 one of the founding members of the Spring Willow Society published the magazine Spring Willow (Chunliu zazhi); this magazine was intended by its main editor to revive the spirit of the original society but, yet, was not attached to any drama society.

Modern Chinese Literary Societies

Wenxue Yanjiu Hui

The Wenxue Yanjiu Hui was a May Fourth Movement litterary Group, Calling for wesernization.
Members: Mao Dun, Zheng Zhenduo, Xu Dishan, Wang Tongzhao, Ye Shaojun, Geng Jizhi, Zhou Zuoren, Sun Fuyuan, Guo Shaoyu, Huang Luyin, Bing Xin
Goals: translations of progressive Western Lit. scientific research of traditional Chinese lit. foster cooperation in literary studies and facilitate the dissemination of knowledge from West and knowledge gained through literary endeavour
Journals
Xiaoshuo yuebao (Shanghai: Commercial Press)
manifesto written by Zhou Zuoren,
Wenxue xunkan
Shi yuekan (Poetry monthly, 1922-)
Publication Series
translation series, creative writing series, humor series, drama series
Tenets:
literature as exposition of real life (not of dao)
opposed view of literature as a diversion for pleasure
concern with social rather than personal problems
opposed notion of inspiration as source of lit.
art for life's sake (realism)

Chuangzuo she (Creation Society; 1921-29)
Members: Guo Moruo, Yu Dafu, Cheng Fangwu, Zhang Ziping, Tian Han, Feng Yuanjun
Journals:
Chuangzuo jikan (1922-25) and Chuangzuo zhoubao
Chuangzuo yuekan and Hongshui
Wenhua pipan
Tenets:
romanticism (against naturalism)
aestheticism (perfection in beauty)
self-expression: "Our isms, our ideologies are not the same. Niether do we insist they should be the same. The view that we all share is that we should follow the demands from the bottom of the heart and get on with our activities in literature and art" ("Afterword," Chuangzao jikan 1, 2)
source of literature in inspiration and genius
Radicalization of society after 1925 (May 30 Movement)
Important theoretical articles:
"Cong wenxue geming dao geming wenxue" (Cheng Fangwu)
"Xin wenxue de shiming" (Cheng Fangwu)
"Zenyang de jianshe geming wenxue" (Li Chuli)
"Introduction to Sorrows" (Guo Moruo)

References

http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/denton2/publications/research/soc.htm
http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SHDS200902006.htm
http://history.cultural-china.com/en/50History6377.html
Berg, Daria, and Chloë Starr. The Quest for Gentility in China: Negotiations beyond Gender and Class. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.
http://english.ccnt.com.cn/?catog=literature&file=040101&page=3&ads=service_001
http://unisg.academia.edu/DariaBerg/Papers/1178053/Daria_Berg._Negotiating_Gentility_The_Banana_Garden_Poetry_Club_in_Seventeenth-Century_Jiangnan_