Yuan Hongdao

A Chinese poet from the late Ming Dynasty. His pen name was Zhonglang and his pen name was Shi Gong. He was from Gong'an (Hubei Province). Together with his elder brother, Zongdao, and younger brother, Nakado, he was known as one of the Three Yuans of Gong'an. He was a Jinshi in 1592 (20th year of the Wanli era). He said, "You can't judge the past and present in terms of superiority or inferiority," and believed that the literature of each era had its own merits and defects, and that reforms would occur when the defects finally became evident. He recognized that literature changes with the times, and harshly criticized the restorationists of the time, who believed in unchanging standards and only studied the shell of the classics. His argument, which placed the greatest importance on expressing true feelings, was called the theory of nature and spirit, and was in direct conflict with the restorationists' theory of style. His fresh and simple style of poetry developed into a powerful literary movement known as the Gong'an faction, which swept through the poetry world at the end of the Ming Dynasty, but did not succeed in overthrowing the restorationists. However, his own attitude towards poetry was rather anti-worldly and highbrow, and did not necessarily match the views of the Ming Dynasty. He produced many lovable pieces of short prose that were full of wit rather than poetry. He has a collection of the "Complete Works of Yuan Zhonglang." His biography is recorded in the "Ming History," Wenyuan Biography 4.

[Masakazu Fukumoto]

"Selections of Chinese Poets, Volume 2, 11: Yuan Hongdao" (1963, Iwanami Shoten) with commentary by Iriya Yoshitaka"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、明(みん)末の詩人。字(あざな)は中郎、号は石公。公安（湖北省）の人。兄の宗道、弟の中道とともに公安三袁と称された。1592年（万暦20）の進士。彼は「古今は優劣を以(もっ)て論ず可(べ)からず」といい、各時代の文学には、各長所と欠点が併存し、欠点がようやく顕著になると、改革がおこると考え、文学は時代とともに変遷するという認識にたって、不変の規範を信奉し、古典の形骸(けいがい)を学ぶだけであった当時の復古派を厳しく批判した。また真情の吐露をもっとも重視したその主張は性霊説とよばれ、復古派の格調説と正面から対立した。その清新軽俊の詩風は、公安派という有力な文学運動に発展し、明末の詩壇を席巻(せっけん)したが、復古派を打倒するには至らなかった。しかし彼自身の作詩態度はむしろ反俗的、高踏的で、その主張とはかならずしも一致せず、詩よりも小品散文にエスプリにあふれた愛すべき作品が多い。『袁中郎全集』がある。伝は『明史』文苑伝(ぶんえんでん)4に記される。

［福本雅一］

『入矢義高注『中国詩人選集二集　11　袁宏道』（1963・岩波書店）』

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