The Collision of Romance and Reality: A Study of the Aesthetic Connotations of the Moon Imagery in the Poetry of Li Bai and Su Shi

Abstract

From ancient times to the present, the imagery of the moon has touched the hearts of countless literati, inspiring them and providing themes for their creations. It also embodies the complex emotions of ancient scholars, becoming one of the conventional images in classical Chinese poetry. Numerous literati from ancient China have left a wealth of famous works expressing their feelings about the moon. Against this backdrop, focusing mainly on the Tang and Song dynasties, this study delves into and enriches the connotations of the moon imagery through the lunar poems of Li Bai and Su Shi. The moon imagery is a particularly prominent image cluster in the works of Li Bai and Su Shi, with noticeable differences in aesthetic connotations. In terms of aesthetic realms, the moon imagery in the works of Li Bai and Su Shi represents, respectively, an ethereal fairyland and a serene Zen state; in terms of aesthetic functions, Li Bai primarily magnifies personal emotions, while Su Shi focuses on understanding history and life; in terms of aesthetic characteristics, Li Bai's portrayal of the moon emphasizes intense emotions and transcendence of reality, whereas Su Shi's portrayal focuses more on profound thought and integration with reality.