The article How to Study Ci is an extremely important theoretical document in modern ci studies, as it summarizes eight aspects of ci studies and is considered a hallmark of the maturation of modern ci studies. The author, Long Yusheng, was a disciple of Zhu Zumou, which is why the academia often emphasizes the traditional elements in the establishment of modern ci studies. This interpretive perspective reveals the relationship between How to Study Ci and traditional ci studies, but issues such as the dialogue partner, the origin of the writing, and the theoretical methods of the article have not been fully discussed.
This paper, based on the correspondence between Long Yusheng and Hu Shi, re-examines their academic relationship. It suggests that Long Yusheng experienced a transition from “acceptance” to “debate” with Hu Shi. In his early works An Outline of Tang and Song Poetry Studies and A History of Chinese Rhyme, Long Yusheng often imitated and accepted Hu Shi's academic viewpoints and research methods. After studying under Zhu Zumou, Long Yusheng gained a deep understanding of traditional ci studies. With the founding of the Ci Studies Quarterly, Long Yusheng's identity shifted, and he began to engage Hu Shi as a potential dialogue partner in his papers, attempting to surpass Hu Shi's research achievements. The academic environment of the College of Liberal Arts of Jinan University in the 1930s provided Long Yusheng with easier access to new academic ideas such as the movement of “Rearranging National Heritage” and the concept of pure literature. Ultimately, in How to Study Ci, Long Yusheng, drawing on the scientific, systematic, and socio-historical analytical methods of the movement of “Rearranging National Heritage”, reconstructed the system of ci studies. This paper argues that the modernity of How to Study Ci is reflected in the adoption of new methods. Long Yusheng viewed the ci as a comprehensive art, so he could more comprehensively explore traditional ci resources and include aspects such as prosody, which Hu Shi neglected, in his research scope. This perspective still had reference value even after the concept of pure literature became dominant. Similarly, the theoretical tools Long Yusheng used to transform traditional ci studies into modern ci studies are key factors in the establishment of modern ci studies and should not be overlooked in academic history.
This paper extends previous research in three aspects. First, it re-examines the academic interaction between Long Yusheng and Hu Shi based on new historical materials, especially Long Yusheng's adoption of new research methods. Second, it examines the modern transformation of ci studies against the backdrop of the movement of “Rearranging National Heritage” and literary research, considering the impact of the academic environment of the College of Liberal Arts of Jinan University on Long Yusheng. Third, it re-examines the research system constructed in How to Study Ci from the perspective of research methods.
This paper discusses the academic relationship between Long Yusheng and Hu Shi, explores the dialogue partner, writing background, and theoretical sources of How to Study Ci. To a certain extent, it reveals the exogenous factors in the establishment of modern ci studies, which helps re-examine the establishment of modern ci studies and the integration of old and new academic ideas.