Jiang Yan (poet)
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Jiang Yan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 444 Kaocheng |
| Died | 505 |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Period | Liu Song dynasty Southern Qi Liang dynasty |
Jiang Yan (Chinese: 江淹; 444 – 505[1]), courtesy name Wentong (文通)[2], was a poet and fu writer during the Northern and Southern dynasties[3] known for his imitation poetry, a prominent genre of the Six Dynasties era.[4]
Jiang Yan stated that he loved the strange and different, and therefore sought new social trends and literary habits. This affected his friendships and writing style.
There was a legend saying that Jiang once dreamt of returning his magic brush to Guo Pu and lost his talent in writing ever since[5]. The idiom "江郎才盡" is therefore used for describing the situation when a creator is experiencing writer's block after using up all his/her talent.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ ([天监]四年卒，时年六十二。) Nan Qi Shu, vol.14. Note that Book of Qi is considered a primary source on Jiang Yan's life as it was compiled within living memory of Jiang Yan's death.
- ^ (江淹字文通，...) Nan Shi, vol.59
- ^ Specifically, Jiang was born during the Liu Song dynasty, lived through Southern Qi, and died in the early years of the Liang dynasty.
- ^ Williams, Nicholas Morrow (2014-11-06), "Imitations of the Self: Jiang Yan and Chinese Poetics", Imitations of the Self: Jiang Yan and Chinese Poetics, Brill, ISBN 978-90-04-28245-2, retrieved 2024-04-26
- ^ (又尝宿于冶亭，梦一丈夫自称郭璞，谓淹曰：“吾有笔在卿处多年，可以见还。”淹乃探怀中得五色笔一以授之。尔后为诗绝无美句，时人谓之才尽。) Nan Shi, vol.59. Besides Guo Pu, Jiang Yan's talent was also linked to Eastern Jin scholar Zhang Xie (courtesy name Jingyang). (淹少以文章显，晚节才思微退，云为宣城太守时罢归，始泊禅灵寺渚，夜梦一人自称张景阳，谓曰：“前以一匹锦相寄，今可见还。”淹探怀中得数尺与之，此人大恚曰：“那得割截都尽。”顾见丘迟谓曰：“馀此数尺既无所用，以遗君。”自尔淹文章踬矣。) Nan Shi, vol.59.
