Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.1, 2015

 

The Designation of Chapter and Style—With a Discussion of the Emergence of the Concept of Literary Style in Ancient China

(Abstract)

 

Wu Chengxue and Li Guanlan

 

The emergence of the concept of literary style is the first question to be faced in studying the history of Chinese literary style. Although there are a variety of research approaches, the most direct and most significant involves starting from within linguistic forms and researching the appearance of the designation of chapters, or articles, and style, and thence proceeding to the emergence of the concept of literary style. This should be done in conjunction with documents that have been handed down and those from archeological excavations. Designation of chapter and style is the most important way in which the concept of literary style is expressed. The emergence of sections and chapters underlies the appearance of literary style, and the emerging awareness of sections and chapters can be viewed as an embryonic form of the concept of literary style. The designation of chapters or articles is a sign that they were independent; it reflects the ancients’ understanding of chapter content, structure, etc. It is a prerequisite for the recognition and designation of literary style, while the designation of styles marks the emergence of the concept of literary style. From the pre-Qin period to the Han Dynasty, the designation of chapters and styles grew from nothing to an increasingly clear trend, but ambiguity in the classification of literary styles and imbalance in the progress of various designations still remained. The designation of chapters and styles marked the emergence of the concept of literary style. As the starting point for the history of studies of literary style in China, and the theoretical prototype and DNA of such studies, it has had a profound and far-reaching influence on the development of studies of Chinese literary styles.