Emulation of Emperor Wu of Han and the Transition from “Classics and History” to “Literature” in the Daming Era

When Southern Dynasty literati wrote the literary history of their own times,they paid great attention to the Daming era under the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Song,regarding it as a turning point from “classics and history” to “literary grace.” This proposition and the status of the Daming era in the literary history of the Southern Dynasties should be understood from the perspective that Emperor Xiaowu of Song consciously emulated the Emperor Wu of Han's court culture,especially the ritual literature.Emperor Xiaowu of Song and Liu Yigong adapted Sima Xiangru's “Fengshan Text”(《封禅文》) into a ritual script,performing the actions and dialogues of the emperor and the Grand Commandant envisioned in the text through memorials,edicts,and poems.This,along with Emperor Xiaowu's emulation of the Emperor Wu of Han's funeral ritual and “Fu of Lady Li”(《李夫人赋》) for Consort Yin's funeral,his first attempt at composing the “Bailiang Terrace Poem,” and Xie Zhuang's “Dancing Horse Fu” modeled after Emperor Wu of Han's “Heavenly Horse Song,” all demonstrate that the “literary works” favored by Emperor Xiaowu were focused on the court literature of Emperor Wu of Han's reign,especially ritual literature.The cultural context of his time was the emperor's vigorous construction of ritual systems,which were mainly used to create an imposing presence rather than promoting Confucianism and the classics.Thus,he inherited the decorative aspect of Emperor Wu of Han's court literature,driving the culture and literature of the time towards “literary grace.” This became an important stage in the development of Southern Dynasty literature,especially in the aesthetics of literary forms.