Lecture Notes (Chinese Literature)
Brief history of China
Xia Dynasty (2100–1600 BC) - The first Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern
dynasty in traditional Chinese Dynasties (220–581) - Frequent regime
historiography. changes.
Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC) - First Sui Dynasty (581–618) - A system was
dynasty to have historical records established to select talents by examination.
remaining. Dynasty developed a system of
Tang Dynasty (618–907) - It had the only
writing
female emperor. Early Woodblock Printing
Zhou Dynasty (1046–221 BC) - and Poetry.
Confucianism emerged. The Basic
Song Dynasty (960–1279) - Printing, the
Philosophical and religious Literature.
compass, and gunpowder were invented.
Longest Dynasty. Zhou dynasty claimed
The dynasty when paper money was
Mandate of Heaven principle gave them the
invented.
right to rule.
Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) - The first
Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) - First to unite
foreign regime to unite China. The richest
China as a country under an emperor. The
Dynasty ever recorded in China.
literary disaster includes burning of books
and Confucian Scholars. The construction Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) - Most
of the Great Wall of China begun during this of the Great Wall today was built or repaired
dynasty. Irrigation systems that are still in during the Ming Dynasty.
use today watered the fields and made
more land good for farming. Set up a Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) - The
uniform system of law. Rules and last dynasty of China.
punishment, writing styles, and money were
consistent across China.
Background of Chinese Literature
Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) - The
same period as the Roman Empire. Made o Chinese Literature - is one of the major
paper by grinding plant fibers into a paste literary heritages of the world, with an
and then setting the paste out to dry in uninterrupted history of more than 3,000
sheets. Acupuncture is the practice of years, dating back at least to the 14th
inserting needles into the skin to cure century BCE.
disease or relieve pain. This practice is still o Since the Chinese graphs were
widely used today. Confucianism became inherently nonphonetic, they were at
the social government philosophy. A device best unsatisfactory tools for the
for telling time, the sundial uses the position transcription of a non-Chinese language,
of the shadows cast by the sun to tell the and attempts at creating a new
time of day. The seismograph is a device alphabetic-phonetic written language for
that device measures the strength of an empire building proved unsuccessful on
earthquake. Chinese scientists believed that three separate occasions.
the movement of the earth was a sign of evil Chinese literary works include
times. Well-liked by both warriors and fiction, philosophical and
peasants, the emperor released the country religious works, poetry, and
from strict Legalistic practices and focused scientific writings.
on people’s immediate needs.
Lecture Notes (Chinese Literature)
Chinese literature often features Confucius thought that the rites, or ritual (li)
moral lessons. —encompassing and expressing proper
Many stories are about human conduct in all spheres of life—could
mythological beings steady a man and anchor a government and
o Ancient Chinese literature was influenced that their practice should begin at home.
by Confucianism, an ethical system from “Give your parents no cause for worry other
Confucius, a revered philosopher. than your illness,” he said. “When your
o The diversity in literary formats and parents are alive, do not travel to distant
genres is notable. This encompasses places, and if you have to travel, you must
poetry and prose, philosophical texts, tell them exactly where you are going”
historical records, and drama. (Analects, 2:6, 4:19).
o Literary format and Genres Literature is Book of Rites
deeply linked to Chinese art and culture. Confucius Says
Art often features literary themes or texts.
The Teachings of Confucius
Literature also depicts cultural elements
The Analects (Lun Yü)
like rituals and festivals.
The Art of War & Other Classics of
o Chinese literature has very ancient
Eastern Philosophy
beginnings. Chinese literature was first
The Teachings of Confucius - Large
recorded about 5000 years ago.
Print Edition
o The origins of the Chinese language are
Worte des Konfuzius
lost, but there is no doubt that it is the
most ancient spoken and written DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN (The
language. he majors literary and Confucian Way to Achieve
intellectual fashions of today's China Equilibrium)
have grown out of the "Cultural Fever". The Book of Odes
The Wisdom of Confucius
Authors and Their Works: 600 Quotes of Ancient Philosophy:
Confucius, Epictetus, Marcus
Lu Xun considered the greatest
Aurelius, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle
Chinese writer of the 20th century.
The philosophy of Confucius
The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
originated as a search for which Confucius like Jesus or Nazareth taught
poet’s body Qu Yuan. "The Golden Rule" and often referred to as
Gao Xingjian the first writer in "The Silver Rule" which is recorded in the
Chinese to win the Nobel Prize for Lunyu (The Analects) as "What you do not
Literature. wish for yourself, do not do to others"
Confucius (One of China's greatest Confucius taught that all people could
philosophers) is known as the first teacher succeed if they worked hard and developed
in China who wanted to make education Character.
broadly available and who was instrumental
in establishing the art of teaching as a Confucius thought that the most important
vocation. He also established ethical, moral, relationship one could have was one
and social standards that formed the basis between a father and son.
of a way of life known as Confucianism Laozi, also romanized as Lao Tzu and
(Respect for elders, good government and various other ways, was a semi-legendary
social order represent the basic beliefs of). ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher, credited
Lecture Notes (Chinese Literature)
with writing the Tao Te Ching. Laozi is a Tao Te Ching: The Book of The Way
Chinese honorific, generally translated as and Virtue
"the Old Master".
The text Laozi wrote was said to be the Tao
Te Ching, although the present version of
the text includes additions from later
periods.
Laozi is venerated as a philosopher by
Confucians and as a saint or God in popular
religion and was worshipped as an imperial
ancestor during the Tang dynasty (618–
907). (See also Daoism.)
Taoism has been connected to the
philosopher Lao Tzu, who around 500
B.C.E. wrote the main book of Taoism, the
Tao Te Ching. Taoism holds that humans
and animals should live in balance with the
Tao, or the universe. Taoists believe in
spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the
body joins the universe after death.
Taoism refers to a way of looking at life and
a way of thinking about things.
Tao Te Ching
The Art of War & Other Classics of
Eastern Philosophy
Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way
Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way
and the Power of the Way
Tao - The Way - Special Edition
The Ancient Classics Collection: The
Art of War and Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching: On the Art of
Harmony: The New Illustrated
Edition of the Chinese Philosophical
Masterpiece
Tao Te Ching (Warbler Classics
Annotated Edition)
Hua Hu Ching: Teachings of Lao Tzu
The Tao of Christ: A Christian
Version of the Tao Te Ching
The Dao de Jing: A Qigong
Interpretation
