The Main Thought in Tu Mu's Prose

Author: Wu-jyh Lyu(Department of Chinese, National Taiwan Normal University)

Abstract：

This paper is to explore the thought in the prose of Tu Mu, an eminent literary fig-ure of the late T'ang. The essential points of the paper will be presented as follows :
1.The political thought of assisting the ruler and taking care of the subjects.
2.The military thougt of suppressing commanders of outlying forts and destroying the enemy along the national frontier.
3.The scholarly thought of revering Confucianism and reacting against Buddhism.
4.The Literary thought of emphasizing the contents of the writing and admiring greatly the ancient ways.
5.The thought of regarding love and hatred as the origin of human nature.
Moreover, Tu Mu, in his prose, expressed his thought in the following aspects.
l.The political aspect. Tu Mu asserted that the official who served the ruler should assist the ruler without offending by rude remarhs, and that the official who loved the subjects should initiate the useful and abolish the harmful.
2.The military aspect. Tu Mu held that one who governed a nation should be aware of military tactics and strategy, strengthen armaments, and attack suddenly the enemy along the national border. He also maintained that the suppression of the commanders of outlying forts should not be appeased.
3.The aspect of scholarship. Tu Mu respected greatly the orthodoxy of Confucian teachings, and attacked Buddhism bitterly for it brought disaster upon the state.
4.The aspect of literature, Tu Mu gave priority to the theme over the language of writings. He also asserted that the ancient ways lay in benevolence and righteousness.
5.The aspect of human nature. Tu Mu held that love and hatred were the origin of causing chaos, He was in favor of Hsun Tzu's view of human nature which is evil.
In conclusion, the thought of Tu Mu's thought would benefit the people's liveli-hood and bring political enlightenment to the people.

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