Transcript An introduction to the features of Chinese classical

An introduction to the features of
Chinese classical literature
Huang, Paoshan
The History of an Idea of Literature
Ancient idea:
 文 wén ：Signifying both “literature”
and “civilization”
 學 Xué：study; research; learning
 文學Wén xué： The learning and
research on all historical
materials of corpus
Literary Position of Ancient Civilization
1. Inseparable from history and politics
e.g. shī jīng《詩經》 chūn qiū 《春秋》
2.The influence of Confucianism
The Master said,“The Poems are three hundred,
yet one phrase covers them:‘no straying.’ ”
AnalectsⅡ.2
3. Vernacular and Classical
colloquial and literary
Traditional Chinese Intellectuals
1. Zǐ xià (子夏) said, “If excel in public office
then move to learning. Excel in learning then
move to assume public office. ” (仕而優則學，
學而優則仕)AnalectsⅩⅢ.13
2. Tend to get into bureaucracy-imperial
civil service exam(科舉制度)
3. The purity of classical Chinesewas due to the strict proscription of
elements of the spoken language from the
examinations.
The Great Genres of Classical Literary
1. Prose:
The 8 literati of táng sòng dynasty唐宋八大家
2. Poetry:
Almost include the educated elite.
3. Novel and theater:
popular and vernacular: the popular genres of
fiction, drama, and prose fiction were not
fully accepted as true literature until the last
century.
The Common Faith of Intellectuals
 A gentleman will die for his confidant
Always solitary and desolate
e.g. qū yuán “lí sāo”屈原《離騷》 ,
ruăn jí阮籍 “Songs of my Cares”《詠懷詩》,
“Nineteen Old Poems” 《古詩十九首》,
táo qián陶潛 “An Account of Peach Blossom
Spring” 〈桃花源記〉,
lǐ bái李白 “Bring In the Wine” 〈將進酒〉…
Classic of Poetry
“Plums are Falling”
Plums are falling, seven are the fruits;
Many men want me, let me have a fine one.
Plums are falling, three are the fruits;
Many men want me, let me have a steady one.
Plums are falling, catch them in the basket;
Many men want me, let me be bride of one.
“Nineteen Old Poems” Ι
Keep on going, on and on, parted from you while alive.
Ten thousand miles apart and more, each of us at a corner of sky.
The road between is blocked and long, will we ever meet face to face
again?
A Turkish horse leans to the north wind, a Yue bird nests in the
southernmost bough.
Every day we grow farther apart, every day my sash hangs looser.
Drifting clouds block the bright sun, and the traveler does not look to
return.
To think of you makes a person old, and the time of year is suddenly late.
Let it go now, say no more! just eat well and take care.