Chinese rhetoric

Author: Li Yunhan, Sheng Yongsheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: A Study of Chinese Rhetoric is divided into three parts, totaling fourteen chapters. Part "Basic Theories of Rhetoric" is the theoretical core of the book and serves as a guide for the second and third parts. It includes Chapters 1 to 5, primarily discussing the basic concepts of rhetoric and rhetorical studies, the nature and social functions of rhetoric and rhetorical studies, their disciplinary positions, the research objects, tasks, scope of rhetorical studies, and their relationships with related disciplines. It also covers the trajectory and current state of the development and prosperity of rhetorical studies, rhetoric and context, and the principles of rhetoric's expression and reception. In this section, where there are disagreements in academia, we have provided appropriate critiques and expressed our own viewpoints. The second part, "Corpus Rhetoric," includes Chapters 6 to 8, focusing on explaining the rhetorical means and their expressive functions or rhetorical effects derived from the three linguistic elements—phonetics, vocabulary, and grammar—statically. It aims to lay a material foundation for the third part, "Pragmatic Rhetoric." The third part, "Pragmatic Rhetoric," includes Chapters 9 to 14, emphasizing the dynamic analysis of the selection of synonymous means in rhetoric, the use of rhetorical devices, the creation of rhetorical interest, textual rhetoric, stylistic rhetoric, and the art, characteristics, and principles of stylistic rhetoric. This part is the key focus of the book, highlighting the practical value of rhetoric. The three parts are both distinct in their functions and closely interconnected. Whether through theoretical exploration, static description, or dynamic research, they strive to unify theory, corpus, and pragmatics, emphasizing key points while also considering the overall picture.