Su Shih was one of the most influential literati of Chinese history,
leaving his mark on not only Chinese politics and lyrics,, but also poetry,
prose, painting, and philosophy. Su Shih's idealistic struggle against the
harsh realities of political life of hims time, and his elegance in makking
due with what he had, even when that was nearly nothing, set a new model
which many literati of later ages, no matter politically successfrul or
not, tried to emulate.
Throughout his lifetime, Su Shih was continualyy under attack from his
political enemies. As his personality made it impossible for him to remain
silent when facing injustices in government and society, he used his
literature, especially poetry and lyrics, as a common vehicle for venting
his feelings. When he was imprisoned and faced with charges of slander
against the throne, it became clear that this was not a safe way of
expressing his opinions, and so he had to adopt new and more subtle
methods. It is perhaps due to these subtleties, perhaps due to the
multi-faceted nature of his talents, or perhaps due to the many rumors
spread by friends and enemies, the philosophy and thought of Su Shih,
unlike his literature, has remained a largely untouched field in both
Western as well as Chinese Sinology.
This dissertation uses dreams as an entry point to the vast and
complex intellectual world of Su Shih, focusing on both the idealistic
dreams and the dreams of his sleep, as found in his poems and lyrics. By
using this method, it is possible to avoid usage of the many, yet
often-times subjectively biased, secondary materials found in the notes and
records (shih-hua, tz's-hua, pi-chi, etc.) so often relied upon in other
works. By follwing the development of his dreams as expressed in words and
disclosed in his sleep, we are able to reconstruct the great expectations
of a young genius, the struggles of an enthusiastic and idealistic
politician, and the ever-present search for and final attainment of
spiritual freedom of this extraordinary person.