Temporal Narrative Strategies and Their Functions in Poetry: A Comparative Analysis of Su Shi's Yonghuai Poems and Natsume Sōseki's Kanshi
Abstract
Based on modern narrative theory, this paper carefully studies time-based narrative methods and text functions in Su Shi's poems and Natsume Sōseki's Kanshi poems. It also carries out a cross-cultural comparative analysis of the two poets' works. The research results show that Su Shi uses many different narrative skills. These skills include changes in time order, adjustment of time length, and the two-way change between time and space. His free and natural poetic writing carries deep philosophical thoughts about personal life and the development of history. But Sōseki's Kanshi poems mostly follow a straight time order in narration. They also prefer to focus on scene description. The sense of time in his poems feels still and stagnant. He builds quiet and peaceful Zen worlds through slow time-based narration. He also seeks spiritual peace and understanding through his poetic writing. These works show his hidden sadness and thoughts about the meaning of existence. Both poets turn abstract time into something tangible with concrete images in their poems. They also rebuild objective physical time through personal inner thoughts and feelings. They reflect on the meaning of short individual life against the background of endless cosmic time. Both poets are deeply influenced by Zen philosophy and the literary ideas of Tao Yuanming. But there are clear differences in their writing styles. These differences come from different cultural traditions between China and Japan, personal life experiences, inner characters, and reasons for writing poems. Su Shi writes poems to express his aspirations and set his emotions free. Sōseki writes poems to seek spiritual peace and calm his inner unrest. From the angle of time-based narration, this study shows the aesthetic features and spiritual meanings of time narration in classical Chinese and Japanese poems. It also provides a new interpretive angle for cross-cultural poetic research.
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