The depiction of character images from the “Book of Songs” in the Ming Dynasty’s eight-legged essays (“baguwen”) served as an essential method for analyzing classical meanings and showcasing literary talent. This paper examines the Ming Dynasty provincial and metropolitan examination essays to identify two primary techniques used in shaping character images: first, the use of imagery from the “Book of Songs” to reflect the inner states of characters, including the interaction between objects and characters in”direct exposition”(“Fu”), the symbolic representation of characters’ inner states through “analogy”(Bi), and the reinforcement of the relationship between objects and characters through”evocative imagery”(Xing); second, the direct portrayal of characters through their speech. The study reveals that Ming Dynasty essayists, while adhering to the strict conventions of the imperial examinations, skillfully employed literary techniques to recreate the character images from the “Book of Songs”, demonstrating a high level of literary creativity.

“Book of Songs”;Eight-legged essays;Character images;Ming Dynasty

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DOI： https://doi.org/10.62639/sspjiss10.20250202

Published： 2025