Liu Zongyuan was born in an official family, with little talent and high aspirations. But he was a scholar in his early years, and his writing was mainly rhetoric. In the ninth year of Zhenyuan (793), he was a scholar, and in the fourteenth year, he entered the learned poetry class and was awarded the orthography of Jixian Hall. He was a lieutenant in Lantian, then became an official in the DPRK, actively participated in the political reform of Wang Group, and was transferred to Danielle as foreign minister. Yong Zhenyuan (805) in September, the innovation failed, and Shaozhou was demoted as a secretariat. In November, he was demoted to Sima in Yongzhou (now Lingling, Hunan). In the tenth year of Yuanhe (8 15), he returned to the capital in the spring and served as the secretariat of Liuzhou (now Guangxi) with outstanding achievements. 14 years 1 1 month. During his demotion, southerners demanded him to study and work.
Liu Zongyuan attaches great importance to the content of the article, and advocates that the text should be used and the Tao should benefit the country and the people, which is practical. He attaches importance to the social function of literature and emphasizes that literature should be beneficial to the world. He advocates the perfect combination of ideological content and artistic form, points out that writing must be serious and emphasizes the importance of writers' moral cultivation. He admired the articles of the pre-Qin and Han Dynasties, and proposed to learn from Confucian classics, Zhuangzi, Laozi, Li Sao and Historical Records. And learn from it, thinking that it can be used by me, but don't give up eating because of choking. In terms of poetic theory, he inherited the tradition that Liu Xie advocated Bi Xing and Chen Ziang advocated Ji Xing. It is consistent with Bai Juyi's proposition about satirical poems in the Yuan zaju Jiushu. His theory of poetry and prose represents the progressive tendency of the literary movement at that time.
Liu Zongyuan left more than 600 poems in his life, and his achievements were greater than poems. There are nearly a hundred parallel essays, which have not broken away from the habits of parallel prose in the Tang Dynasty, but there are also masterpieces like Yunsuiyang Temple Monument in Antarctica. Ancient prose can be roughly divided into five categories.
Comments: including philosophy, political comments and discussion-oriented essays. Sharp pen, accurate argument. Tian Shuo is a masterpiece of philosophical papers. Feudalism and Heavenly Punishment are representative works of medium and long political papers. Jin Wengong's "Defending the Original Motion", "Debate between Dong Brothers" and Yi Yin's "Five Opinions on Street Praise" are representatives of political papers. There is a simple materialistic element in his philosophy. His political thoughts are mainly embodied in the progressive social historical view that emphasizes "potential" and the Confucian people-oriented thought. But also influenced by Buddhism, especially when they are frustrated politically, they often seek spiritual liberation from Buddhism.
Fable: Inherited and developed the traditions of Zhuangzi, Han Feizi, Lu Chunqiu, Liezi and the Warring States Policy, which were mostly used to satirize and attack the ugly phenomena of the society at that time. Innovate, create whimsy, and make good use of anthropomorphic artistic images of various animals to express philosophical or political views. Representative works include Three Commandments (Linjiang Elk, Guizhou Donkey, Yongmou Mouse), Biography, Lieshuo and so on. Laughing and cursing, because things are small, show a high degree of humor and irony.
Biography: Inherited the tradition of Historical Records and Hanshu, and made some innovations. Representative works include Anecdotes of Duan Taiwei, Biography of Zi Ren, Biography of Hejian, Theory of Snake Catcher, etc. Some works are exaggerated and fictional on the basis of real people and stories, just like fables and novels. Such as Biography of Song Qing and Biography of Planting Trees and Camels.
Landscape Travel Notes: The most popular ones are written after being demoted, and Yongzhou's works are even better. Eight typical records of Yongzhou: Xide Xishan Banquet Travel Notes, Music Circle, Music Circle Xishan, Xiaoshitang to Xiaoqiuxi, Yuanjiake, Shiqu, Shi Jian and Xiaoshicheng Mountain. These works not only express their experiences and resentment through beautiful scenery; There is also a description of the author's quiet state of mind, which is manifested in extreme depression and the pursuit of spiritual sustenance. As for the direct description of the scenery, it is steep and clean, or beautiful and pleasant, and reproduces the beauty of nature with delicate language.
Sao Fu: Unique. Li Sao and Nine Chapters are used in Punishing Evil Fu, Sheng Min Fu, Meng Gui Fu and Prison Mountain Fu. Or express one's mind directly, or borrow ancient times to hurt oneself, or borrow fables to express irony and think hard, which won the essence of Qu Sao. "Tian Dui" and "Jin Wen" are another type, imitating Tian Wen and Qi Fa, with strange and profound words. In addition, Liu Jizhong has many works about Buddhist tablets, inscriptions, notes, preface, poems and so on, involving Zen, Tiantai Sect, Buddhism and other theories. There are more than 40 pieces of Liu Shi/KLOC-0, all of which were written after relegation. His predecessors, Wang Wei, Meng Haoran and Wei also called him Wang Meng. Some of his five ancient thoughts are close to Tao Yuanming's poems, with simple and natural language and elegant and meaningful style. Influenced by Xie Lingyun, other ancient Five Dynasties coined exquisite words, mixed with Hyunri, and even learned from Xie Shi when doing problems. However, Liu's poems can contain bitterness, similarities and differences in beauty. In addition, Liu's poem "Going to Liuzhou Tower to Send Zhang Tingfeng to Four States", which is famous for his generosity and compassion for health, is a masterpiece of seven laws in the Tang Dynasty, and the quatrains of Jiang Xue are also rare in the Tang Dynasty.
Liu Yuxi began to compile Liu Ji's Collection of Mr. Hedong. There were many annotated books in Song Dynasty, and Han Chun's Collected Works of Liu Xun is the earliest extant work of Liu Ji. In the Ming Dynasty, Jiang's Warp Collection was annotated with Liuhe East Collection. For his deeds, see Han Yu's Epitaph of Liu Zihou, Biographies of Old and New Tang Books and Chronicle of Mr. Liu in Wen 'anli.