Transportation-Literature Triangle among Chang’an, Lingnan, and Yangzhou in the Tang Dynasty: Formation and Significance

Abstract

In the Tang Dynasty, a vast and structurally stable transportation-literature triangle existed among Chang’an, Lingnan, and Yangzhou. This triangle was formed by these three cities and the transportation routes connecting them. First, this triangle was a transportation framework, shaping the movements of literati and facilitating their creation of travel-related literary works, thereby possessing a powerful literary production function. Second, this triangle was a spatial structure for Tang literature, providing a foundation for studying the creative contexts of related works and interpreting their textual meanings. This framework also enabled examining the multiple literary connections among Chang’an, Lingnan, and Yangzhou. By studying the movements of literati within this transportation triangle and the dissemination of literature along the routes, it is possible to conduct research into the geographic attribution of literary works and the practice of poetic exchanges in different locations. On a deeper level, this examination reveals how the opening of north-south transportation routes influenced literary transformations, providing insights into the spatial distribution and hierarchical structure of Tang literature. Thus, this transportation-literature triangle holds significant literary value on multiple levels.

Keywords

Chang’an / Lingnan / Yangzhou / transportation triangle / literature triangle

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Higher Education Press