Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 11, 2023

 

On the Relationship between Newly Discovered Early Confucian Classics and Qu Yuan’s Poetry

(Abstract)

 

Chang Sen

 

The newly discovered early Confucian classics, such as Qiong Da Yi Shi, Lan Fu, (Li)Tong Song, Confucius’ Exposition of the Book of Songs and The Five Virtues in the Guodian Bamboo Slips and those collected by Shanghai Museum represent significant literary works that circulated in Qu Yuan’s time. They are organically and structurally related to his poetry, including his master work, Sorrow after Departure (Li Sao), and can provide genetic interpretations for Qu Yuan’s core concepts, intellectual support, and ethical commitment to the idea of difficulty and achievement. They can also provide genetic interpretations for the “meaningful forms” which have fundamental significance in Qu Yuan’s poetry—in the imagery of “herbs/gentlemen” and male-female relationships, and his idea of poetry as unifying the expression of feelings and will in his conscious creative practice. Most of the original writings and canons of the philosophers in the early pre-Qin era could not initially become “public material” for the masses because both the transmitter and the recipient had to exist in some definite chain of transmission to achieve communication, and the overflow of these chains into wider social transmission and the acquisition of a certain kind of public reputation had to undergo a relatively lengthy process. Only by entering the chain of transmission of early Confucian classics, such as Qiong Da Yi Shi, could Qu Yuan share their success.