Abstract：LI Fu was a famous official, a noted literatus, a famed scholar, and a great critic of Bagu Wen (Eight-part Essay) during the reigns of Emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong. In his criticism of Bagu Wen, he attached great importance to classics and learning from the ancient, and advocated to respect the Confucian classics and widely read historical records, philosophical writings and literary collections. He thought highly of the style of Bagu Wen, gave equal weight to ancient essays and contemporary essays, and advocated to write in ancient style. He acknowledged the strict grammar of Bagu Wen, and accepted that essay writing should follow certain rules but not be constrained by rigid rules. He believed essay writers should figure out the implication of the topic and use essay writing approaches flexibly and creatively to elaborate on the topic. Above all, with the view of developing talents for the state and encouraging and supporting juniors, he required essay writers to be of literary grace and virtues as well, to be ethical and enterprising so as to prepare themselves for academic studies and future career. LI Fu’s criticism on Bagu Wen revealed high theoretical consciousness. It has historical value as well as realistic value. It is about how to write properly and how to live properly as well.
2017, Vol. 34 
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