CHINESE

LITERATURE
GROUP 1

PRESENTED BY:
Adrian Paul D. Espina
Lykka L. Gonzaga
Alexa Jan M. Lauron
Carla Mae Gayo
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I. Objectives
In this lesson, you are going to:
a. Understand Historical Context:
Develop a contextual understanding of Chinese literature by examining how
historical events and social changes influence literary works.
b. Bridge Traditional and Modern Perspectives:
Explore the connections between classical Chinese literature and contemporary
works, fostering an appreciation for the evolution of literary traditions and their
impact on modern Chinese society.
c. Identify representative texts and authors from Asia, specifically in China
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II. Drill Exercise: Crossword Puzzle
Try your hand on the crossword puzzle. Which ones do you know about Chinese Literature?

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II. Drill Exercise: Jumbled Letters
Get ¼ sheet of paper and answer the jumbled words that follows:

1. IHNAC
2.FUCIUSCON
3.ISMAFNCIUOCN
4.IADMSO
5.IUDABSMDH

Note: WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS

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III. Introduction to the main Topic

Chinese Literature is the body of written works written in Chinese,

including lyric poetry, historical and didactic writing, drama, and various
forms of fiction. Chinese Literature began more than two thousand years
ago, with The Book of Poetry (Shijing) as its first analogy. This book,
compiled sometime after 600 B.C. by Confucius 551- 479 B.C., is a
collection/s of poems that date back to period between approximately
800 and 600 B.C.
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IV. What Is It?
Chinese literature – began more than 2000 (two thousand) years ago.
- Book of Poetry (Shijing) – also known as “Shih-ching” the first anthology of Chinese
literature.
 Compiled sometime after 600 B.C. by Confucius (551-479 B. C.)
 A collection of 305 poems that date back to a period between approximately 800 and 600
BC Part Number and meaning Date (BCE)

國風 Guó fēng 160 "Airs of the States" 8th & 7th century

小雅 Xiǎo yǎ 74 "Lesser Court Hymns" 9th & 8th century

大雅 Dà yǎ 31 "Major Court Hymns" 10th & 9th century

周頌 Zhōu sòng 31 "Eulogies of Zhou" 11th & 10th century

魯頌 Lǔ sòng 4 "Eulogies of Lu" 7th century

商頌 Shāng sòng 5 "Eulogies of Shang" 7th century

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IV. What Is It?
Period of Chinese Literature
Modern Period of Literature - started in the 1910s, is even more extensive and
diverse. Taking a chance on abstraction and Chinese literature is defined,
oversimplifying, as the expression of both the heart and mind, in relation to the
person and the community, as diversely sublime and elegant, and as if fusing the
creative with the actual.
The development of traditional Chinese literature was influenced intellectually by
Buddhism, Daoism (Taoism), and Confucianism. Taoism, also known as Daoism,
is a multifaceted custom that originated in China and is sometimes classified as a
philosophy and a religion. Confucianism is an ancient Chinese belief system,
which focuses on the importance of personal ethics and morality.
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IV. What Is It?

Traditional Chinese Literature – came under the influence of Christianity

writing during the Ming era in 1368–1644 when the Western missionaries
first arrived in China. As poetry and music are connected, and classical
Chinese poetry was unavoidably impacted by the music of the ethnic non-
Chinese people who lived largely on the borders of China.
The 20th century saw a significant shift in Chinese writing toward the
West. This shift had an impact on almost every element of Chinese
culture, not only literature. Indeed, Chinese literature of the 20th century
has been open to the literary works from Eastern nations like Japan and
India, but the existence of the West is very dominant.
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IV. What Is It?

In the Modern era, Chinese authors have continued to write a lot in the
modern era. Despite the social impact of literature's influence today may
be even greater than it was in the past, Chinese literature but tradition is
rich nonetheless. Famous individuals include the fiction writer Mo Yan, a
fictionist who won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature. Remarkable too
were the novels of Yu Hua, Wang Shuo and Shi Tiesheng, and the
stories of Gao Xiaosheng, Wang Zengqi, and Zhang Chenzhi.
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IV. What Is It?

Highlights of Traditional Chinese Literature

- Short stories, novels, and dramas from the Tang to Qing dynasties;
- The prose writings in history and philosophy of the Qin and Han dynasties;
- The prose of the Tang and Song dynasties;
- The Songs of the South (Chuci);
- The song Lyric;
- Tang poetry.

These are the things that were generally used in Traditional Chinese Literature thus
highlighting different literary genres in some specific era.
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IV. What Is It?

Traditional Chinese Literature

 As music is related to poetry, traditional Chinese poetry was inevitably influenced
by the music of the non-Chinese ethnic groups who resided mostly on the Chinese
borders.
 Developed under the intellectual influences of Confucianism, Daoism (Taoism),
and Buddhism.
 Came under the influence of Christianity in the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), when
Western missionaries made their way to China.
 Broadly speaking, while traditional Chinese literature primarily stems from Chinese
civilization, it has, over its evolutionary trajectory, assimilated certain elements from
cultures outside of China.
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IV. What Is It?
 Confucianism advocates for kindness, righteousness, individual diligence, dedication to
society, and fostering harmony among people.
 Taoism (Daoism), an indigenous tradition in China, is described variably as both a
philosophy and a religion. It prioritizes living in accord with the Tao, often seen as the
impersonal and mysterious process of transformation that fundamentally underlies reality.
 The encounter between Buddhism and China represents a unique convergence in the pre-
modern era where two advanced, literate, and sophisticated cultures met. This interaction
led to a hybrid amalgamation, influencing both Buddhist teachings and Chinese culture
significantly.
Chinese literature serves multiple purposes, functioning as a means to transport
individuals to a captivating world and era, offering guidance on virtuous living, and acting
as a historical map by conveying images and philosophical insights.
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V. Literary Works in Chinese
Literature Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
translated by Arthur Waley
“We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide.
The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet.
Standards obscure the sun: the foe roll up like clouds.
Arrows fall thick: the warriors press forward.
They menace our ranks: they break our line.
The left-hand trace-horse is dead: the one on the right is smitten.
The fallen horses block our wheels: they impede the yoke-horses!”

They grasp their jade drum-sticks: they beat the sounding drums.
Heaven decrees their fall: the dread Powers are angry.
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V. Literary Works in Chinese
Literature
The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field.
They issued but shall not enter: they went but shall not return.
The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long.

Their swords lie beside them: their blacks bows, in their hand.
Though their limbs were torn, their hearts could not be repressed.
They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of “Wu.”
Steadfast to the end, they could not be daunted.
Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality –
Captains among the ghosts, heroes among the dead.
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V. Literary Works in Chinese
Literature
On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away
Yu Xiuhua
translated by Ming Di
And I see sparrows fly over. They look around
as if it’s inappropriate to stop for just any grain of rice.
They have clear eyes, with light from inside.
Starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered.
They flutter and make a sound that seems to flash.
When they’re gone, the sky gets lower, in dark blue.
In this village deep in the central plain
the sky is always low, forcing us to look at its blue,
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V. Literary Works in Chinese
Literature
the way our ancestors make us look inside ourselves,
narrow and empty, so we look out again
at the full September –
we’re comforted by its insignificance but hurt by its smallness.
Living our life this way, we feel secure.
So much rice. Where does it come from?
So much gold color. Where does it come from?
Year after year I’ve been blessed, and then deserted.
When happiness and sadness come in the same color code,
I’m happy
to be forgotten. But who am I separated from?
I don’t know. I stay close to my own hours.
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VI. Literary Devices Used
Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
translated by Arthur Waley
Geographic Dimension
The poem mirrors the political and cultural milieu during Chu Yuan's era, a period marked by political
fragmentation and widespread conflict among various states in ancient China, known as the Warring States period.
Textual Basis
“We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide. The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet.

Linguistic Dimension
The poem is originally composed in Classical Chinese but has been subsequently translated into English. Classical
Chinese represents a sophisticated and literary variant of the Chinese language, distinguished by its absence of
punctuation marks, reliance on tonal contextual cues, and a more formal style when juxtaposed with modern Chinese.
Textual Basis
“They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of “Wu.”
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VI. Literary Devices Used

Ethnic Dimension
Qu Yuan existed within the tumultuous Warring States period of ancient China, marked by
political upheaval, conflict, and rivalry among different states. Aligned with the state of Chu,
Qu Yuan consistently highlighted his unwavering allegiance to his homeland in his poetry. His
works frequently convey an ethnic dimension by strongly identifying with the Chu people,
emphasizing their unique cultural and regional identity.
Textual Basis
“The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field. They issued but shall not enter: they went
but shall not return. The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long.”
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VI. Literary Devices Used

On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away

Yu Xiuhua
translated by Ming Di
Geographic Dimension
The poem delves into the aspects of rural existence and individual encounters, indicating a
focus on life in a particular village and the personal experiences associated with it.
Textual Basis
“When they’re gone, the sky gets lower, in dark blue. In this village deep in the central plain.”
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VI. Literary Devices Used

Linguistic Dimension
The authorship of this poem belongs to Yu Xhiuhua, a contemporary Chinese poet
recognized for her impactful works in Chinese, subsequently translated into English by
Ming Di.

Ethnic Dimension
The poem underscores the significance of ancestral wisdom and highlights the enduring
influence of forebears on contemporary lifestyles.
Textual Basis
“The way our ancestors make us look inside ourselves, narrow and empty, so we look out
again at the full September – we’re comforted by its insignificance but hurt by its
smallness. Living our life this way, we feel secure.”
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VII. Summary of Chinese Literature

Chinese literature has a rich history spanning over 2000 years, with its roots
in the "Book of Poetry" (Shijing), compiled by Confucius around 600 B.C.,
containing 305 poems from 800-600 BC.

Traditional Chinese Literature encompasses diverse forms, including "The

Songs of the South," prose from the Qin and Han dynasties, Tang poetry, song
lyrics, and prose from the Tang to Song dynasties, as well as various literary
forms from the Tang to Qing dynasties.
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VII, Summary of Chinese Literature

Modern Period (1910s Onwards):

Marked by multifarious expressions and a dramatic turn towards the West.

Chinese literature is characterized as an expression of both heart and mind, blending reality
and imagination.
Prominent modern writers include Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan, along with Yu Hua, Wang
Shuo, Shi Tiesheng, Gao Xiaosheng, Wang Zengqi, and Zhang Chenzhi.
Traditional Chinese Literature:

Developed under the influences of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.

Influenced by Christianity in the Ming dynasty and music from non-Chinese ethnic groups.
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VII, Summary of Chinese Literature

Absorbs elements from cultures beyond China.

The excerpt from "Battle" by Chu’ü Yüan, translated by Arthur Waley, vividly
portrays a scene of conflict, bravery, and immortal spirit among warriors.

In conclusion, Chinese literature serves as a powerful tool, offering an

escape into different worlds, guidance for virtuous living, and a historical map
through vivid images and profound philosophy. The evolution from traditional
to modern times reflects the adaptability and prosperity of the Chinese literary
tradition.
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VIII. Activity
Compare the work of Chu’ü Yüan with the work of Yu Xiuhua. Consider the similarities and differences
in subject matter, imagery, and style in your comparison.
THAT IS ALL FROM THE GROUP
ONE CHINESE LITERATURE
PRESENTER