Formal Concepts of Language Activities in Pre-Qin Period and Their Literary Significance

Author: Shen Liyan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: For the study of ancient Chinese literary concepts and literary thought, the general approach is usually not more than three aspects: the positive and direct expressions of the ancients, the value orientation and aesthetic trends revealed in literary works, and the related literary and artistic trends and socio-cultural background. However, literature, after all, is made of language. The issue of literature cannot ignore this fundamental perspective. In the 20th century, the development of literary theory worldwide benefited from the reference or use of the linguistic perspective. However, in the field of traditional Chinese literary concepts and literary thought, this has been quite indifferent. The reason lies in the unique academic vision of the elders and scholars, which can be ignored, but in general terms, there are two main reasons: first, the increasing standardization of "subject catalogs" and the tendency of scholars to confine themselves to their own fields have become common phenomena. As a result, the interdisciplinary boundaries naturally fall into the blind spots of vision. Second, under the context of disciplinary refinement, everyone's knowledge structure tends to become singular, so even if there is a desire to enter the intersection of literature and language, there may be a lack of capacity. Third, due to various reasons, the academic community tends to avoid difficulties and seek ease when choosing research topics and objects. Of course, this does not mean that everyone should rush to a "linguistic turn," but rather that the attention it deserves is far from sufficient. In this context, Shen Liyan's book "The Forms, Concepts, and Literary Significance of Pre-Qin Language Activities" stands out as particularly valuable. Liyan's work is his doctoral dissertation. During the defense, both internal and external committee members unanimously recommended it as outstanding. This book provides a historical description and theoretical summary of the emergence and evolution of language activities and their concepts during the Pre-Qin period, and examines their complex influence on Chinese literature. Everything from the divination inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty, the divination texts, blessings, ritual texts, posthumous titles, and name taboos of the Zhou Dynasty, the diplomatic discourses of the Spring and Autumn Period, to the linguistic concepts in Confucius's thought are all within its scope. In handling and utilizing these materials, Liyan adopts a method of tracing back to the roots, starting from the fundamental documents and observing and analyzing them from the perspective of contemporary theory.