Poetry in Han era

Poetry in Han era

This paper attempts to explain the historical and philosophical significance of poetry in the Han era in China. The importance of poetry is due to the fact that no historical monument from the era of Han survives to this day as most were built on wood, but nevertheless some of the poetry that explained the philosophical beliefs of the people at that time and their culture remains in the records of history. These poetries are of immense significance in outlining the history of the Han era, the culture of the people at that time, the philosophical and religious beliefs of the people and their customs and behaviors.

In order to come up with a better conclusion of the beliefs that the people held at that time and how it affected their daily life and routines, this paper will examine an extract from one of the poetry from Han era. The author of the poetry is unknown.

Poetry has a long history in the Chinese region. The “book of songs” documented the ancient oral tradition in china, while the poems emancipating during the Han era were also written down. The written documentation of poetry in this era was accomplished due to the invention of paper in China. The poetry during this period is known for its simplicity and elegance. Much of the poetry like the anonymous poem “Fools who cling too fondly to gold…….” have the elements of humanism and common sense encrypted in their expression. It is evident that poems like these played a crucial role in the everyday life of the people. Similar to the Roman or ancient Greek lyrics, the Chinese poetry in the Han era adapted ritual songs that were escorted with stringed instruments or the lute. The purpose of these poems was to serve as an entertainment on different occasions. As a result, these poems were common at the times of banquet or when affections were being exchanged as a source of gift (Fiero, 2006).

However, the Chinese poems did not have any heroic or epic poems like the Greeks or the Romans which makes the Chinese poetry during the Han era so different and unique in the world of literature. This is where its importance lies in the world of poetry. Rather than highlight individual accomplishments, these poems like the mentioned one, tend to elaborate human experience. The poetry in the Han period usually takes on the form of prose and have elements relating to proximity and closeness instead of the elements of seriousness like the western world. Poems in that time were indeed use to register political or social grievances, but still they turned out to be the result more of the mood of the poet rather than being a vehicle of instruction (Watson, 1984).

The poet mentioned above carries the same tone as the poet is clearly carried away by his mood when he or she expresses distaste for the desire of the people to acquire ...