Articles are composed according to the time, and songs and poems are composed according to the incident. It was proposed by Bai Juyi, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, and it is Bai Juyi's theory on poetry creation. From a literal meaning, when writing an article, it must be in line with current events and the current social status quo, while the creation of poetry must be based on the actual situation. This sentence comes from Bai Juyi's "Yi Yuan Jiu". At that time, he was an advocate of the New Yuefu Movement and hoped that the writings of the majority of literati would be based on reality.
Bai Juyi (772-846), whose courtesy name was Letian, also known as Xiangshan Jushi, also known as Mr. Zuiyin, was originally from Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. He moved to Xiagui when his great-grandfather was born. Xinzheng, Henan. ?[3]? He was a great realist poet in the Tang Dynasty and one of the three major poets in the Tang Dynasty. Bai Juyi and Yuan Zhen jointly advocated the New Yuefu Movement, known as "Yuan Bai" in the world, and "Liu Bai" together with Liu Yuxi.
Bai Juyi's poetry has a wide range of themes, diverse forms, and simple and popular language. He is known as the "Poetry Demon" and the "Poetry King". He was promoted to Prince Shaofu, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and was granted the title of Marquis of Fengyi County[45]. In 846 AD, Bai Juyi died in Luoyang and was buried in Xiangshan. There is "Bai's Changqing Collection" handed down from generation to generation, and his representative poems include "Song of Everlasting Sorrow", "Charcoal Seller", "Pipa Play" and so on.
The above-mentioned requirements made by Bai Juyi on poetry have only one purpose, which is to make up for the current affairs. So he went on to say: "In short, you should do it for the king, for the ministers, for the people, for things, for things, not for literature." ("Xin Yuefu Preface") In "Yu Yuan Jiu Shu", Looking back on his early creations, he said: "Since he came to the dynasty, he has grown older and read more and more things. Every time he talks to people, he inquires more about current affairs; every time he reads history, he seeks more theories and principles. Only then do he realize that articles are written together, and songs are written at the same time. Poems are written for the sake of things. "When writing for the time and things, the first thing is to write for the king." He also said: "But it hurts the people's illnesses, and they don't know the taboos of the times" (Part 2 of "Two Poems on Injuring Tang Qu"), and created a large number of allegorical poems reflecting the people's sufferings, but the overall direction is "Only songs cause people's illnesses" , I hope the emperor will know it" ("Ji Tang Sheng"). Because only when the people's sentiments are heard by heaven and the emperor opens up barriers and expresses human sentiments, will politics tend to be peaceful.
Bai Juyi’s thought combines Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, with Confucianism as the leading thought. Mencius said, "If you are prosperous, you can help the world; if you are poor, you can help yourself." This is the creed he followed throughout his life. Its ambition to "contribute to economic development" is based on Confucian benevolence, and also includes Huang Lao's theory, the art of managing Xiao, and the method of Shen Han; its "independent kindness" heart absorbs the concepts of contentment, equality of things, and freedom from Lao and Zhuang. Buddhist thought of "liberation".
This kind of poetry theory is of progressive significance in urging poets to face reality and care about people's livelihood and suffering. It also has a critical effect on the poetic style that has gradually emphasized form since the Dali (766-779). However, over-emphasis on the subordination of poetry creation to the needs of real politics will inevitably constrain the artistic creation and style diversity of poetry.