Author: Li Feng (Associate Professor at the School of Literature and Journalism Communication, Central South University for Nationalities)

The relationship between literature and Taoism is one of the core issues in ancient Chinese literary theory. Relevant discussions began in the pre Qin period, developed in the Southern Dynasties, took shape in the Tang and Song dynasties, and continued in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The theory of "literature carries the way" constitutes the absolute main theme of discussing the relationship between the two. Since the New Culture Movement, the understanding of "literature as a means of conveying ideas" has mostly approached from the perspective of instrumentalism, believing that relevant theories have erased the subjectivity of authors and literature, and thus criticized the theory of "conveying ideas". The formation of this attitude is partly due to the phenomenon of viewing literature purely as a "tool for conveying ideas" and completely dissolving the subjectivity of literature in related creations. On the other hand, it is also due to a deviation in understanding and a lack of attention to the history of literary theory and thought. Scholars such as Liu Fengjie and Wang Benchao have already discussed this. This article intends to examine the background and related explanations of the theory of "literature carries the way" from the perspectives of human beings, literature, and Taoism, and reveal its rich connotations.

Self satisfaction in the heart: the subjectivity of human beings

The first charge listed in the criticism of the theory of "using literature to convey messages" is that the texts that convey messages are all products of affectation and artificiality, and the author's true feelings and emotions are completely absent from the articles. The author's main position is completely dissolved. For example, Chen Duxiu once said, "Literature was not originally designed to convey messages, and the so-called messages that convey messages from Changli to Zeng Guofan are just superficial and vague facade language copied from Confucius and Mencius. It is also said that the so-called 'writing to convey messages' of the Tang and Song Eight Schools of Literature is like the so-called' standing up for the sages' of the Eight legged School, venting their anger through the same nose." Liu Bannong proposed that the texts that convey messages are "swallowing and peeling off the words of Confucius and Mencius alive" and "piling them up. Built on paper. However, with a brief review of the relevant intellectual and literary history, it can be seen that this discourse does not conform to historical facts. Among the literati who take responsibility for carrying out their duties, a considerable number of them, especially the representative figures, advocate the use of literature to convey messages based solely on their personal understanding and sincere emotions towards Confucianism, demonstrating distinct subjectivity.

Borrowing Guo Shaoyu's viewpoint, in the understanding of the relationship between literature and Taoism, writers since the Tang and Song dynasties can be divided into various schools of thought, including Guandao, Mingdao, and Daodao. The establishment of the subjectivity of the author is not only seen in the differences among these schools, but also in their commonalities. From a different perspective, there are significant differences in the understanding of the connotation of Dao and the relationship between literature and Dao among different schools of thought, which indicates that there is room for discussion on what constitutes Dao and how to carry it. Outstanding figures from various schools also actively utilize this space to express their own opinions, reflecting their profound thinking on relevant issues through discussions and preaching, highlighting their spirit of autonomy. In terms of their commonalities, the various schools of thought advocate for the use of literature as a means of conveying messages, and all are based on their firm belief and adherence to Confucianism, which is a conscious choice to demonstrate the brilliance of subjectivity. Taking Han Yu as an example, his proposal of a Taoist school of thought and his demand for "revising his language to clarify his way" is not a hypocritical and superficial argument, but rather a sense of mission and responsibility to defend the Confucian tradition, and the emotions contained in it are very genuine and sincere. His exposition of the Taoist tradition initiated the reconstruction of Confucianism since the Song Dynasty, with profound and far-reaching influence, which cannot be denied by the phrase 'copying Confucius and Mencius'. Ouyang Xiu, in terms of the relationship between literature and Taoism, on the one hand, proposed that "the victory of Taoism comes from the ease of writing", and on the other hand, emphasized that "poems, books, Yi, and Spring and Autumn Annals are all good at carrying out events, so their transmission is particularly far-reaching", advocating for equal emphasis on literature and Taoism. At the same time, he also compared Han Yu and Li Ao, believing that in terms of the realm of physical education, Han is not as good as Li, which also reflects his spirit of independent thinking. However, Taoists place great emphasis on Taoism and neglect literature, viewing literature as a vassal of Taoism. While their discussions may be biased and inappropriate, they also redefine the relationship between literature and Taoism from a factual perspective, and Taoists have different understandings. Zhou Dunyi's theory of carrying the Way, Cheng Yi's theory of "writing harms the Way," and Zhu Xi's theory of "writing originates from the Way." Their understanding of the relationship between literature and the Way, especially the status and nature of literature, differs, all of which reflect human subjectivity.

Each with its own unique style: the individuality of literature

The second crime listed by critics of the theory of "using literature to convey ideas" is that this theory inevitably erases the individual characteristics of literature. The so-called "using literature to convey ideas, treating literature as a tool for preaching and reasoning, without paying attention to the value of literature itself" is also not entirely consistent with historical facts. The theory of conveying ideas does not necessarily lead to a dry and monotonous style. The style theory that accompanies the theory of "carrying the Tao" is not uncommon, and related creative practices also have distinct individual colors.

Han Yu's thesis emphasizes both moral conduct and style. His pursuit and discussion of personalized writing style effectively demonstrate that moral conduct and self-expression can coexist without contradiction. As the saying goes, "If both are detached from the world and not self established, even if they are not blamed at the time, they will not be passed down to future generations." "Those who are capable are not others, but those who can establish themselves and not follow the rules are also true. This pursuit of personalized style has even created a situation of superiority and scarcity, with conflicting likes and dislikes: "If a servant is a writer for a long time, he will think that he is good in his own mind, and then he will think that he is evil: if he means small things, he will be small and strange; if he means big things, he will be big and strange. He always writes vulgar words that make people feel ashamed; if he shows people, they will think that he is good; if he means small things, he will also be called small good, and if he means big things, he will think that he is great

Su Shi advocated for the integration of literature and Taoism, stating in his writings: "Those who speak of the Tao in the world, whether named after what they see or implied by what they see, all seek the faults of the Tao. However, the Tao cannot be sought after. Su Zi said, 'The Tao can be achieved but cannot be sought.'" "The pursuit of the Tao naturally leads to the attainment of the Tao, and the pursuit of the Tao naturally leads to the attainment of the Tao?" It can be seen that compared with Han Yu's deliberate pursuit of self establishment, Su Shi is more inclined to express himself naturally. His father Su Xun used Feng Shui as a metaphor for literature. He first wrote about the winding and meandering nature of Feng Shui, as well as its ability to shape objects. He then concluded by saying, "How can these two things be sought after in literature? They have no intention of seeking each other, but rather suffer from each other without expectation, and literature arises from them. They are literature, not water literature, not wind literature. The two things cannot be literature, but cannot be without literature." By combining this with their literary and Taoist theories, it can be seen that Su Su's view of the writing of the Tao is not an explanation and analysis of righteousness, but a natural expression and free expression after deep understanding and understanding of its mysteries, but a natural style formed from this. It is not a plain and simple nature, but a nature full of posture and enthusiasm.

Compared to the Two Sovereigns, Zhu Xi had a unique understanding of the style of literature that conveyed messages. He once criticized Su Shi's theory of literature and Taoism, saying: "The Tao is the foundation of literature, and the branches and leaves of literature are the branches and leaves of the Tao. However, the foundation of literature lies in the Tao, so what comes from literature is also the Tao... Today, Dongpo's words say: 'My so-called literature must be with the Tao.' This means that literature is from literature and the Tao is from the Tao. 'Su Shi's theory of literature and Taoism separates the relationship between the two. In his eyes, literature is a product of the Dao, and there is no literature outside of the Dao. Since literature is born to express and convey ideas, its style should be as simple and clear as possible. "The article must be upright, and it must teach the world and future generations to see it clearly without a doubt." "Ancient literature was mostly just plain and had its own meaning, while later literature had many and sour meanings.

Combining macro and micro: the diversity of the Tao

The third charge of the theory of 'literature carries the Way' is the emptiness and narrowness of the Way itself. In Hu Shi's "Eight Things" for literary reform, the first requirement is to "speak with substance" and emphasize that "what I call" substance "is not the ancient saying that" literature conveys ideas ". He further clarified that what he referred to as" substance "is emotions and thoughts. Obviously, in Hu Shi's view, the literature that conveys messages lacks emotions and ideas. Those who view the Tao as a narrow-minded thing often understand it as a 'political proposition of feudal rule'. It should be said that the root of this simplified and formulaic understanding of the Tao lies in the lack of sorting and reflection on its connotation.

The richness and diversity of the connotations contained in the article can be mutually invented with the discussion of human subjectivity mentioned earlier. Because the author's understanding and comprehension of the Tao are different, reflected in the article, the connotation of the Tao is inevitably rich and diverse. In the literature of Dao Dao, Dao can be the grand, profound, and magnificent natural Dao. As stated in Liu Xie's original essay, "The black and yellow colors are mixed, the square and square shapes are divided, and the sun and moon are layered to form a beautiful image of the sky; the mountains and rivers are magnificent to pave the earth's shape: this is the literature that covers Dao Dao." Here, Dao refers to the natural heavenly Dao, which has literature. Therefore, all things follow the heavenly Dao and have literature. The Tao can also be a simple and practical way of daily life, as Ouyang Xiu said: "The Tao is often followed by the disciples of Duke Zhou, Confucius, and Meng Ke; its articles are believed by those who have been recorded in the Six Classics until now." The various scriptures include not only political daily life such as "caring for the nine ethnic groups, pacifying the people, and worrying about floods", but also daily life such as "planting mulberry and hemp trees, raising chickens and dolphins". Their common characteristics are that "their Tao is easy to understand and can be practiced" and "their words are easy to understand and feasible". Ouyang Xiu insists that the Tao originates from daily life and is practiced in daily life, and explicitly opposes the so-called "Tao of the Creator", which means "taking the confusion and emptiness as the Tao, and the vastness and vastness of the ancient world as the ancient" and "thinking in chaos at the beginning of ancient times, taking the intangible as the ultimate Tao". Of course, the Way can also be the Way of Confucian ethics, as Han Yu said: "Love for all is called benevolence, and doing what is appropriate is called righteousness; doing what is appropriate is called the Way, and doing what is sufficient for oneself is called virtue." Then benevolence and righteousness are the connotations of the Way, and virtue is the realm formed by embodying the Way. This Dao does have political implications, which is why Han Yu discussed the ethics of monarchs and ministers, explained the "teachings of the late kings" in "The Original Dao", and believed that "the way of the late kings should be based on the Dao, and widows, widowers, lonely, disabled, and sick people should be nurtured". However, the Tao he spoke of also points to multiple goals such as individual cultivation and upholding Confucianism. The Tao can also be the Tao of heavenly principles, as stated by Ercheng: "It is carried by heaven and can be heard without sound or odor. Its body is called 'easy', and its principles are called 'Tao'. What they are referring to is the essence of heavenly principles.

Overall, the theory of "using literature to convey messages" is not only a matter of literary history, but also a matter of intellectual and cultural history. Its connotation is extremely rich, and there is a need and possibility for in-depth exploration.

Guangming Daily (13th edition, August 17, 2026)

(Author Guangming Network)