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Ancient Literature of China

The history of writing in China is unique. The oldest Chinese texts, fortune-telling inscriptions scrawled on a sheep’s shoulder blade or a tortoise shell, refer to the III-II millennium BC. e. such a shell or spatula was placed in the fire, and the answer to the question asked was “read” according to the shape and arrangement of the cracks formed.

In the II millennium BC. e. there are inscriptions on ritual bronze vessels, and from the beginning of the I millennium BC. e. for the letter began to use bamboo strips, fastened cords, the text was written along the plank along the vertical. On one such bar there were about 40 characters, so that even a small book had a significant volume. In the III century BC. e. The Chinese began to use silk as a material for writing, but it was very expensive. In the I c. BC. e. The Chinese invented the paper, which promoted the widespread use of written language. Already on bamboo slats (and later – on silk and paper) was

written with the help of ink made from coal or soot from the burning of pine firewood. Errors were corrected by cleaning with a knife, so the expression “knife and brush” became a metaphor for officials. The spread of writing and the growth of its social role required the unification of the outline of hieroglyphics. The first known experience of the codification of Chinese graphics is the list of hieroglyphs of Shi Zhou pyang written by the court historian Shi Zhou (IX – VIII centuries BC). Then, in the era of Qin and Han, the writing reforms take place, resulting in the emergence of a standard style of writing – “kaishu” (statutory letter), which persisted right up to the reform of Chinese writing in 1956-1959. A hieroglyphic letter always uses a large number of characters. For reading the books of the Confucian canon, you need to know about 10,000 characters. In modern Chinese dictionaries there are about 100 000 hieroglyphs. The first known experience of the codification of Chinese graphics is the list of hieroglyphs of Shi Zhou pyang written by the court historian Shi Zhou (IX –

VIII centuries BC). Then, in the era of Qin and Han, the writing reforms take place, resulting in the emergence of a standard style of writing – “kaishu” (statutory letter), which persisted right up to the reform of Chinese writing in 1956-1959. A hieroglyphic letter always uses a large number of characters. For reading the books of the Confucian canon, you need to know about 10,000 characters. In modern Chinese dictionaries there are about 100 000 hieroglyphs. The first known experience of the codification of Chinese graphics is the list of hieroglyphs of Shi Zhou pyang written by the court historian Shi Zhou (IX – VIII centuries BC). Then, in the era of Qin and Han, the writing reforms take place, resulting in the emergence of a standard style of writing – “kaishu” (statutory letter), which persisted right up to the reform of Chinese writing in 1956-1959. A hieroglyphic letter always uses a large number of characters. For reading the books of the Confucian canon, you need to know about 10,000 characters. In modern Chinese dictionaries there are about 100 000 hieroglyphs.

Calligraphy is considered in China as an art form and is highly valued, paintings are often decorated with calligraphic inscriptions. In ancient times, Chinese writing spread widely throughout Southeast Asia.

Literature of China. The oldest surviving bibliography of Chinese literature belongs to Ban Gu (32-92 AD). In his work “the description of arts and literature” (which is part of his “History of the Han Dynasty”), he singles out the main types of literature available: canonical philosophical books (including historical ones), poems and poems, military science books, books on astrology, medical books.

Speaking about the poetry of Ancient China, it can be noted that the most ancient surviving monuments are folklore poems collected in Shijin (one of the books of Confucian “five books”). Shijin is the most ancient collection of songs and hymns created in China from the 12th to the 5th centuries. BC. e. At the end of the I millennium BC. e. authorial poetry is developing in China, mainly in two genres of song and poem, the latter being written in rhythmic prose and intended for chanting. The most famous poets of antiquity (according to Ban Gu) were Xun Qing, Cui Yuan, Xiang Yu, Tap Le, Mei Sheng, Sima Xiang-ju and Yang Xiong. From prose works (except for philosophical treatises) it is necessary to note the historical works. They are interesting not only in themselves, but also because the genre of biographies, which is already present in the “

Chinese medieval literature is extremely rich in content. A high evaluation of literature in the Chinese culture itself is already reflected in the fact that in the state examinations for the position of an official, the knowledge of classical literature was primarily required. The religious ideas of Confucianism and Taoism, and later of Buddhism, especially Ch’an Buddhism, had a great influence on Chinese literature. Chinese fiction occurs in the III – VI centuries. in the form of the so-called “stories about the wonderful genre that was leading in the Song era in China, there is a story, for the Yuan era, the flowering of dramatic art is characterized, in the Ming epoch, narrative prose in the form of an epic and a novel flourishes.” The dominant position in Chinese literature has always been poetry, therefore even prose is always saturated with verses that,

Speaking about the culture of China, you can not ignore music.

Taoism (founded Lao-Tzu – a wise child), Confucianism, Moizm (Mo-tzu), School of Lawyers (Shan-Yang, Han-Fay-tzu), natural philosophy, school of correcting names (comes from Confucius). Chinese philosophy was much less interested in the question of the structure of the world. Only Taoism has more or less solved this question. Other schools: how to live in this society?

Taoism. The focus is on nature, space and man. The world is in constant movement and change, develops, lives and acts spontaneously, without any reasons. The cosmic man is Pong. The world emerged from its parts. Philosophy: impersonal beginnings belong to the universe. Tao is the way, the road, the reason, the goal of the development of the world. Two Tao: an unshakable, permanent beginning, a kind of black hole, emptiness. It is not knowable, we only guess that it is. The second: the real Tao – the direction of the path of man by his destiny, the natural nature of things. There are two more initial beginnings – heaven and earth. Ponga is born, pushing open the void, forming the sky and the earth. Impersonal beginnings: two Tao: Yang – some male principle (light, active), Yin – some female principle (dark, passive). Yang rushes into the sky, Yin into the ground. There is one more element – Tzu, acting as a gluing principle between Yang and Yin. Tao is poured everywhere – the idea of a pantheistic principle (the divine principle is everywhere diffuse, everywhere one can find it). What do you need to know? The principle of non-action is Uvei. In this world nothing can be changed, the Tao must be joined. He who is wise does not speak. Representations of Tao are in Confucius and in other schools.

Moise. The main attention is paid to the problems of social ethics, which is linked through strict organization with the despotic authority of the head. The whole point is in the ideas of universal love and prosperity, mutual benefit. School of Moism (Mencius). There is no such thing as fate, all people are equal – everyone needs to be educated. Every man controls his own destiny. The biggest democrats in ancient China. There must be state educational principles.

Legism. Shang Yang (human nature is evil). Almost exclusively, the teaching focused on issues of socio-political change. Its representatives dealt with problems of social theory and problems related to public administration. Lawmakers – not obedience and respect, but the law, the most severe legal regulations. No one is obliged to love, but everyone is required to obey the law. For violation – punishment; The smaller the offense, the greater the punishment. If to stop at the very beginning, then there will be no further crimes. How to monitor the implementation of laws, how to monitor? Han Fang-tzu: it is necessary that everyone should follow each and report. Refusal for nedoinoyatelstvo. A system of total surveillance and reporting to the boss.

Eclecticism. The desire to combine in one system the views and concepts of various schools. They argued that each school comprehends the reality in its own way and it is necessary to unite these ways into such an integrity that would be a new universal system of interpretation of the world.

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Ancient Literature of China

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