2. Literature Review

Numerous scholars have done a lot of meaningful researches on the relation between man and nature from various standpoints over these years. Wang Jiyan’s paper, “The harmonious unity of heaven and man---the Comparative Study of the ecological thought of Thoreau’s and the ‘Harmony between man and nature’ Concept” (Wang Jiyan, 2009: 1), and Wang Xiaohua, Han Dexin’s paper (Wang Xiaohua & Han Dexin, 2011: 64), respectively analyze the relationship between man and nature from the perspective of ecological ethics and cultural persity in Chinese and Western civilization. Meanwhile some other related researches such as Wang Dongyan’s “Nature and Human Relation Revealed in Chinese and Western Natural Works” (Wang Dongyan, 2006: 140) and Li Jing’s paper---“Thoreau’s View on the Relation between Man and Nature” (Li Jing, 2009: 84), are mostly centered on the literary works of nature. All in all, on the study of man and nature, many scholars have explored a lot from the aspects of religion, philosophy, ecology and aesthetics, etc.

When it comes to man and nature, the academics of “naturalism” who make a difference to the field of man and nature have been attracting much attention of the academia all the time, and Tao Yuanming or Thoreau is no other than the typical representative of those academics of “naturalism”. The studies of Tao Yuanming or Thoreau are mostly inpidualized or single while fewer put them together to do a systematic contrastive research, and even so, are mostly the studies of similarities of their views on nature. Li Jie studies Tao yuanming’s and Thoreau’s different thoughts and feelings during their reclusive lives from their simple life styles and the pursuit of “simplicity”, then “find out the inspired ideas through the communication between the different cultures of America and China” in her paper “From the Claim to ‘Simple’ of Henry David Thoreau and Tao Yuanming to See Their ‘Recluse’” (Li Jie, 2007: 136). In addition, Pu Lixin and Su Minghai’s paper (Pu Lixin & Su Minghai, 2005: 71) and Wang Yongxia’s paper---“Encountering in Contemplation on Nature: A Comparative Study on Tao Yuanming and Thoreau’s Conception of Nature” (Wang Yongxia, 2007: 1) compare Tao yuanming’s and Thoreau’s natural views from the perspective of ecological aesthetics.

3. Different Relations of Man and Nature from the Different Demands of Reclusion

3.1 Different Social Backgrounds, Different Drives of Life Choices

3.1.1 Disdain the Merit and Fame

Tao Yuanming is the first pastoral poet in Chinese literature history, known as “the master of ancient and modern reclusion poets” (Zhong Rong, 1994: 260). Tao Yuanming's act of reclusion shows his own personality and also reflects a certain social background.

Tao Yuanming lived in late Jin Dynasty where political environment was very complex when the government was going from bad to worse. At that time, the dynasty was declining and the officialdom’s career was dark and depressing, and the officials in pursuit of fame were caught up by it. Tao Yuanming's great-grandfather Tao Kan was one of the founding heroes of Jin Dynasty, but he was scorned as a creep and an ambitious usurper by the powerful family of Wang and Xie. Although they were among the feudal upper class, yet they couldn’t share equalities with Wang or Xie Family just because they were born in poverty, without the support of powerful family. However unlike any other impoverished family, Tao family had their own principles and dignity, which led to the embarrassment of Tao Yuanming’s official career.