The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature: (1000BCE-900CE)

by Wiebke Denecke (Editor), Wai-Yee Li (Editor), Xiaofei Tian (Editor)

Overview

This volume introduces readers to classical Chinese literature from its beginnings (ca. 10th century BCE) to the tenth century CE. It asks basic questions such as: How did reading and writing practices change over these two millennia? How did concepts of literature evolve? What were the factors that shaped literary production and textual transmission? How do traditional bibliographic categories, modern conceptions of genre, and literary theories shape our understanding of classical Chinese literature? What are the recurrent and evolving concerns of writings within the period under purview? What are the dimensions of human experience they address? Why is classical Chinese literature important for our understanding of pre-modern East Asia? How does the transmission of this literature in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam define cultural boundaries? And what, in turn, can we learn from the Chinese-style literatures of Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, about Chinese literature? In addressing these questions, The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature departs from standard literary histories and sourcebooks. It does not simply categorize literary works according to periods, authors, or texts. Its goal is to offer a new conceptual framework for thinking about classical Chinese literature by defining a four-part structure. The first section discusses the basics of literacy and includes topics such as writing systems, manuscript culture, education, and loss and preservation in textual transmission. It is followed by a second section devoted to conceptions of genre, textual organization, and literary signification throughout Chinese history. A third section surveys literary tropes and themes. The final section takes us beyond China to the surrounding cultures that adopted Chinese culture and produced Chinese style writing adapted to their own historical circumstances. The volume is sustained by a dual foci: the recuperation of historical perspectives for the period it surveys and the attempt to draw connections between past and present, demonstrating how the viewpoints and information in this volume yield insights into modern China and east Asia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190053185
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/01/2020
Series:	Oxford Handbooks
Pages:	626
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 6.60(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Wiebke Denecke is Associate Professor of Chinese, Japanese, and Comparative Literature at Boston University and the General Editor of the Hsu-Tang Library of Classical Chinese Literature.

Wai-yee Li is professor of Chinese literature at Harvard University. She has written numerous texts on late imperial Chinese literature and early Chinese historical writings.

Xiaofei Tian is Professor of Chinese Literature at Harvard University. She has published several works on Middle Period Chinese literature, as well as in late imperial and modern literature and culture.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Contributor List xiii

Timeline of Chinese Dynasties xv

Section 1 Introduction

1 Key Concepts of "Literature" Stephen Owen 3

2 Periodization and Major Inflection Points Stephen Owen 13

Section 2 Basics of Literacy

I Technology and Media: Editors Introduction Xiaofei Tian 27

3 The Chinese Writing System Imre Galambos 31

4 Literary Media: Writing and Orality Christopher M. B. Nugent 46

5 Manuscript Culture Christopher M. B. Nugent 61

6 The Relationship of Calligraphy and Painting to Literature Ronald Egan 76

II Institutions of Literary Culture: Editor's Introduction Xiaofei Tian 91

7 Education and the Examination System Rebecca Doran 95

8 Text and Commentary: The Early Tradition Michael Puett 112

9 Text and Commentary in the Medieval Period Yu-yu Cheng 123

10 Literary Learning: Encyclopedias and Epitomes Xiaofei Tian 132

11 Libraries, Book Catalogues, Lost Writings Glen Dudbridge 147

Section 3 Literary Production

I Traditional Genre Spectrum: Editors Introduction Wai-yee Li 163

12 Classics (jing $$$) David Schaberg 170

13 Histories (shi $$$) Stephen Durrant 184

14 Masters (zi $$$) Wiebke Denecke 201

15 Collections (ji $$$) Xiaofei Tian 219

II Modern Perspectives on Genre: Editors Introduction Wai-yee Li 235

16 "Chinese Poetry" Paul Rouzer 241

17 Elite versus Popular Literature Wilt L. Idema 258

18 Narrative Genres Sarah M. Allen 273

III Collecting, Editing, Transmitting: Editor's Introduction Xiaofei Tian 288

19 Pre-Tang Anthologies and Anthologization David R. Knechtges 293

20 Anthologies in the Tang Paul W. Kroll 303

21 The Song Reception of Earlier Literature Stephen Owen 316

22 Textual Transmission of Earlier Literature during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties Wai-Yee Li 325

IV Literature and Metaliterature: Editors Introduction Wiebke Denecke 342

23 Defenses of Literature/Literary Thought/Poetics Paul Rouzer 347

24 Concepts of Authorship Wai-Yee Li 360

25 Tradition Formation: Beginnings to Eastern Han Stephen Durrant 377

26 Classicisms in Chinese Literary Culture: Six Dynasties through Tang Anna M. Shields 387

Section 4 Moments, Sites, Figures: Editor's Introduction Wai-yee Li 399

27 Moments Paula Varsano 403

28 Sites I Jack Chen 424

29 Sites II Wendy Swartz 438

30 Figures Wai-Yee Li 450

Section 5 Early and Medieval China and the World: Editor's Introduction Wiebke Denecke 471

31 Colonization, Sinicization, and the Polyscriptic Northwest Tamara T. Chin 477

32 Translation Daniel Boucher 494

33 Shared Literary Heritage in the East Asian Sinographic Sphere Wiebke Denecke, With Contributions Nam Nguyen 510

34 Sino-Korean Literature Sim Kyung-Ho Peter Kornicki 533

35 Early Sino-Japanese Literature Wiebke Denecke 551

36 Sino-Vietnamese Literature Peter Kornicki 568

Index 579

Editorial Reviews

"This excellent, innovative volume complements more traditional reference works, e.g., The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature, ed. by William H. Nienhauser (2v, CH, Jul'86; CH, Apr'99, 36-4329). The book's back matter consists of bibliographic references and a 30-page index; Chinese characters are conveniently interspersed within the chapters themselves, obviating the need for a glossary. ... Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers." —P. F. Williams, CHOICE

From the Publisher