The classical Chinese poem “Ch’ang-kan Village Song” (《长干行》) by LI Po (李白, 701–762) employs dramatization to bridge social ethics and cosmic philosophy in presenting the speaker’s emotions and projecting the poetic voice. While some of its techniques bear resemblance to the English dramatic monologue, its essence is rooted in the Chinese philosophical tenet of ‘tian ren tong yuan’(天人同源) — ‘man and nature share the same origin.’ This philosophy is not only the fundamental reason but also the natural outcome for the dramatization in this poem, with an aim to restore order in human society in harmony with the natural order. As such, “Ch’ang-kan Village Song” exemplifies aesthetic practice of philosophy in classical Chinese poetry.

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