"Conclusions"in the Crafting of the Eight-Legged Civil Examination Essays and the Political Culture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Da Jie(conclusion)was an essential component of the Ming dynasty's Eight-Legged Essay style.It not only formed an organic connection with various parts of the essay,but also carried a unique stylistic function.Since the Song dynasty's reforms led by Wang Anshi,"expressing one's own views"became a requirement for the crafting of the Eight-Legged Civil Examination essays.During the Yuan dynasty,this function of expressing personal views was sepa-rately assigned to the Four Books essays.In the Ming dynasty,the"entrance"(入口气)was designated as the main part of the Eight-Legged Essay,with Da Jie specifically tasked with expressing personal views.In the Ming dynasty,the Da Jie section of the Eight-Legged Essay proposed sharp and profound thoughts,integrating classical knowledge,reflecting on history,and criticizing reality.The inclusion of Da Jie inspired scholars to apply classical knowledge to practical situa-tions.In the sixteenth year of Kangxi's reign in the Qing dynasty,Da Jie was prohibited,weakening the function of the Eight-Legged Essay to express personal opinions,aligning with the political intentions of authoritarianism.After Qian-long's reign,more restrictions were imposed on the Eight-Legged Essay,leading it to a dead end,becoming a con-strained and lifeless literary form.
Da JieExpressing Personal ViewsHistorical ReflectionCultural Authoritarianism
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