Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.7, 2015

The Study of Stylistics in the Light of the “Culture Circles”—As Exemplified in the “Three, Five and Seven Words” Style

(Abstract)

Zhang Bowei

Studying the source of the san-wu-qi-yan (a style with successive lines of three, five and seven words) enables us to put forward and practice the concept of culture circles (Kulturkreis) in research on the history of national literatures. 1. The study of stylistics is not just a question of language forms; more importantly, it requires consideration of the history of cultural exchange. 2. An examination of the evolution of literary styles requires not only a concept of time, but also, more importantly, of space. The formation of the “three, five and seven words” style can be traced back to the Chinese translations of Buddhist gathas (hymns). The gatha style reflected traditional, literati and popular influences; conversely, once it took on a new life, it actively affected tradition, literati and the populace. An investigation into the spread and evolution of this style on the Korean Peninsula reveals that the evolution of literary styles is manifest not only in the trajectory of their actual development but also in their inherent potential for a variety of changes. The transplantation of different forms of spatial literature (including language, sentence styles and rhythms) produces a certain stylistic “variance.” Investigating the causes of this phenomenon can make us fully appreciate the new mien of this traditional literary style.