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The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies

Lu Ji

Also known as: Wade-Giles Lu Chi; Lu Shiheng

Born: 261 ce; kingdom of Wu (Shanghai)

Died: 303 ce; China

Related civilization: China

Major role/position: Prose writer, critic

Life: Lu Ji (lew JEE) was from a military family of the kingdom of Wu (222–280 ce). His grandfather was a founder of Wu, his father a commander, and he himself a young general. After Wu was subjugated by Western Jin (265–316 ce), Lu Ji turned to literary studies and in 290 ce relocated to Luoyang, the Jin capital, with his younger brother Lu Yun. Their literary talents created a furor, and they were soon known as the “two Lus.” There Lu Ji became an adviser to the prime minister and commander in chief of Hebei, but he was framed and executed by Sima Ying, king of Chengdu, when Lu Ji was a defeated rear general of Ying’s punitive expedition against the king of Changsha.

Lu Ji’s pianwen (rhythmical prose) was marked with rich parallelism and rhapsodic diction, as in Diao Weiwudi Wen (third century ce; in memory of Emperor Wudi of kingdom Wei) and Bianwang Lun (third century ce; on the capitulation debate). More influential was his Wen Fu (third century ce; The Art of Letters, 1951). Written in the fu form (prose interspersed with verse), this treatise discusses the methods of composing fu poetry, criticizes the vogue of imitation of the great masters, and encourages originality in creative writing. His original works did not survive. However, because it was collected by later scholars, Lu Shiheng Ji (the writings of Lu Shiheng) is extant.

Influence: Lu Ji’s pianwen enriched literary parallelism, and his The Art of Letters secured a place in history for early literary criticism.

See also: China; Sima Xiangru; Wudi.

—Charles Xingzhong Li

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"Lu Ji." The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, edited by Shally-Jensen Michael, Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_0403.
APA 7th
Lu Ji. The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, In S. Michael (Ed.), Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_0403.
CMOS 17th
"Lu Ji." The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, Edited by Shally-Jensen Michael. Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_0403.