|
Abstract During Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty， the southeastern pirate threat (known as “Wokou”) became a national crisis， causing extremely strong spiritual shock and psychological setbacks among the intellectual elites of the southeast. After Hu Zongxian and other generals achieved historical feats of clearing up the sea and pacifying the enemy， the sense of humiliation among the intellectuals was quickly transformed into a collective literary eulogistic consciousness. A number of victory songs and military anthems were created. The poems often used Fangshu and Zhaohu as metaphors to highlight the southeastern generals' ambition to revitalize the nation after chaos，and also respond to the historical demands of military endeavors and the complex shifts in counter-pirate strategies. In terms of style， these works were mostly characterized by rough and vigorous rhythms and a martial spirit. The authors retained the military atmosphere by incorporating the events of the battlefield，and emphasized the deterrence of punishing the tyrants during the national revival with imaginary giants and swift and dynamic scenes. The distinct variant form marked a significant departure from the traditional elegant ritual and music compositions. The intellectuals' conscious modification of literary style pointed to the realistic problems that civil officials were at ease， while military officers were wandering around having fun， and the national power was declining during Jiajing period. This literary phenomenon was closely related to the militarization of the temperament of Confucian scholars under the threat of Japanese pirates.
|
|
Received: 24 January 2025
|
|
|
|
2025, Vol. 64 
