Transcendence in Xi Kang's poetry

Abstract

This paper examines Xi Kang’s poetry, notably his works on “roaming intro transcendence” (Youxian shi 遊仙詩), revealing their religious dimensions as also entangled worldly aspect. I argue that any content referring to transcendence or immortality should be understood in an actively religious context, and that Xi Kang’s religious activities and creations also serve temporal functions. This mixed feature opens a path toward an empathetic understanding of early medieval literati like Xi Kang and may even establish an enduring pattern among premodern intellectuals.