Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2022

Yuanqing and Xingqing: An Exploration of the Connotation of Qing in Chinese Poetics

(Abstract)

Mao Xuanguo

Qing (emotion) is a core category of Chinese poetics, and it has two connotations. The first is yuanqing (originating from qing), i.e. ganwu xingqing (sensing the material and feeling the emotion of things), which is a product of the ancient Chinese philosophy of the unity of Heaven and man. This is different from the Western romantic theory of emotion, which attaches importance to the individual, the self and the subject, so it cannot be explained by the Western theory of empathy, which highlights the psychological significance of the subject. The second connotation is xingqing (nature and emotion), which is based on Confucianism. It affirms the reasonableness of the expression of qing, yet emphasizes that qing must be restrained by xing.