Dr LAM Chuen-pan, Chinese Language Centre

A Defence of Imitation: Wang Kaiyun's Poetic Pedagogy. “Literature as Learning: The Ancient and Modern of Literary Education” International Conference. Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, 14-15 June 2024.

Abstract
Imitation is a prevalent phenomenon in the history of ancient Chinese literature. By the Ming dynasty, the advocacy of the Restoration by the "Seven Masters" had turned imitative poetics into a subject of criticism among Ming and Qing poets. Wang Kaiyun had a clear understanding of the shortcomings of the Ming Seven Masters' imitation and the Qing dynasty's opposition to it. However, why did he persist in advocating imitation despite knowing it would be met with public disapproval? This article intends to delve into Wang's reasons for promoting imitation by examining his late-life discussions on poetic creation with his students and disciples. Wang believed that the literati of the Ming dynasty encountered a creative impasse where the poetic was exhausted, leading to the trend of "imitative restoration." By analyzing Wang's explanations of imitation, we can understand his perspective on the value and significance of "imitation."