Traditional Chinese Ci Poetry in Periodicals and Newspapers of Republic of China: A Case Study of YAO Hua’s Contributions in Xue Heng

YAO Hua, a versatile literary and artistic polymath, held an esteemed position during the era of Republic of China. YAO published a substantial number of ci poetry in the featured column of Xue Heng (XH), The Critical Review. At the journal’s inception, the May Fourth Movement had ebbed, sparking a resurgence of interest in traditional Chinese learning. WU Mi, the chief editor of XH, advocated integrating modern themes into traditional metrical forms. YAO Hua’s literary philosophy emphasized openness and synthesis, prioritizing both tonal prosody and artistic talent. The two categories of ci poetry that best exemplify his achievements are YAO’s tihua ci, ci poetry inscription of Chinese paintings, and yongwu ci, object-praising poetry. These works closely integrate traditional lyricism with contemporary social concerns. Consequently, his poetry is endowed with both dimensions which are inward-facing, addressing personal emotions, and outward-facing, engaging with societal issues, meeting the era’s developmental demands. It is safe to say that YAO’s ci poetry inherited the Chinese literary tradition while acclimatizing to the times. It provided a referenceable direction and practical model for the genre after the impact of the New Culture Movement. This likely explains why his works were favored by XH.