观游乃为政之具: 柳宗元游记新论

The Eight Notes of Yongzhou (Yongzhou Baji) is regarded as the ancestor of travel literature, and previous scholars have often interpreted it through Liu Zongyuan's experiences of exile and the landscape traditions of the Six Dynasties. However, Liu Zongyuan's travel writings actually embody his belief that view and travel can nurture the mind and assist in governance, closely related to the creation of his pavilion inscriptions, both of which share a common perspective on travel. The Note of the First Banquet and Travel at Xishan, written in the fourth year of the Yuanhe period, marks the starting point of Liu Zongyuan's travel writings. However, the discovery of Xishan originated from the construction of the Western Pavilion and an excursion held there. The life insights gained from the journey to Xishan led Liu Zongyuan to a renewed understanding of the significance of view and travel in spiritual construction. He further distilled the idea that nature viewing and travel can help cultivate the mind, and cultivating the mind can assist in governance, suggesting that locales should establish places for nature viewing and travel. This notion is reflected in his pavilion inscriptions and serves as the foundational idea for his various travel writings in Yongzhou. Liu Zongyuan's travel writings explore and highlight the scenic beauty of the mountains and waters of Yongzhou, demonstrating his aspiration to establish ideal places for travel in the region, using travel as a means to enhance governance, which reflects a new perspective on administration during the midTang Dynasty. The narrative structure of Liu Zongyuan's travel writings and pavilion inscriptions also exhibits a structural relationship, with the former emerging from the latter. The architectural records represented by the pavilion inscriptions flourished during the mid-Tang Dynasty, reflecting the shared concerns of local officials and literati of that time. Therefore, the emergence of Liu Zongyuan's travel writings should also be understood within this new political context.