The Homeric epics and the Chinese "Books of songs": foundational texts compared

No index. The Homeric epics and the Book of Songs are not just the fountainheads of the Western and Chinese literary traditions; for centuries they played a central role in education and communal life, and thus exercised a lasting influence on both civilizations. This volume presents the first systematic comparison of the two corpora. Part One analyzes their genesis and their reception, while Part Two discusses their characteristics as poetic creations. The book brings together Chinese and Western sinologists and classicists, and so promotes significant interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue. Though the contributors rank among the leading experts in their fields, the essays here are accessible not only to their peers, but also to the interested ‘general reader’, and so to all those who seek a deeper understanding of Chinese and Western civilizations, their common human basis and their characteristic differences. Acknowledgments vii Conventions and Abbreviations ix Notes on Contributors xi Introduction 1 PART I. THE HISTORY OF THE TEXTS AND OF THEIR RECEPTION A. Coming into Being 1. The Formation of the Homeric Epics 15 Margalit FINKELBERG 2. The Formation of the Classic of Poetry 39 Martin KERN 3. Comparing the Comings into Being of Homeric Epic and the Shijing 73 Alexander BEECROFT B. “Philological” Reception 1. Homeric Scholarship in its Formative Stages 87 Barbara GRAZIOSI 2. Odes Scholarship in its Formative Stage 117 Achim MITTAG 3. The Beginning of Scholarship in Homeric Epic and the Odes: a Comparison 149 GAO Fengfeng / LIU Chun C. Cultural Role 1. Homer in Greek Culture from the Archaic to the Hellenistic Period 163 Glenn W. MOST 2. Cultural Roles of the Book of Songs: Inherited Language, Education, and the Problem of Composition 185 David SCHABERG 3. Canon, Citation and Pedagogy: the Homeric Epics and the Book of Poetry 207 ZHANG Longxi PART II. THE TEXTS AS POETRY A. Form and Structure 1. Iliad and Odyssey: Homer’s Epic Narratives 229 Fritz-Heiner MUTSCHLER / Ernst A. SCHMIDT 2. The Shijing: The Collection of Three Hundred 255 CHEN Zhi / Nick M. WILLIAMS 3. Comparing Form and Structure in Homer and the Shijing 283 ZHANG Wei B. Contents 1. Iliad and Odyssey: Story, Concerns, Scenes 299 Øivind ANDERSEN 2. Recurrent Concerns and Typical Scenes in the Book of Songs 329 Wai-yee LI 3. The Contents of the Homeric Epics and the Shijing: Comparative Remarks 359 Fritz-Heiner MUTSCHLER 4. “Heroes” and “Gods” in Homer and the Classic of Poetry 375 Andrew H. PLAKS C. Values 1. Homeric Values and the Virtues of Kingship 381 Douglas CAIRNS 2. The Values of the Book of Songs and the Virtues of Leaders 411 Yiqun ZHOU 3. Values Compared: Homer and the Book of Songs 439 HUANG Yang / YAN Shaoxiang Looking Backward and Forward 451 Fritz-Heiner MUTSCHLER Glossary of Chinese Characters 467 Index of Names 475 Index of Works and Passages 485 The Homeric Epics And The Book Of Songs Are Not Just The Fountainheads Of The Western And Chinese Literary Traditions; For Centuries They Played A Central Role In Education And Communal Life, And Thus Exercised A Lasting Influence On Both Civilizations. This Volume Presents The First Systematic Comparison Of The Two Corpora. Part One Analyzes Their Genesis And Their Reception, While Part Two Discusses Their Characteristics As Poetic Creations. The Book Brings Together Chinese And Western Sinologists And Classicists, And So Promotes Significant Interdisciplinary And Intercultural Dialogue. Though The Contributors Rank Among The Leading Experts In Their Fields, The Essays Here Are Accessible Not Only To Their Peers, But Also To The Interested 'general Reader', And So To All Those Who Seek A Deeper Understanding Of Chinese And Western Civilizations, Their Common Human Basis And Their Characteristic Differences. Edited By Fritz-heiner Mutschler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. La 4e de couv. indique : "The Homeric epics and the Book of Songs are not just the fountainheads of the Western and Chinese literary traditions; for centuries they played a central role in education and communal life, and thus exercised a lasting influence on both civilizations. This volume presents the first systematic comparison of the two corpora. Part One analyzes their genesis and their reception, while Part Two discusses their characteristics as poetic creations. The book brings together Chinese and Western sinologists and classicists, and so promotes significant interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue. Though the contributors rank among the leading experts in their fields, the essays here are accessible not only to their peers, but also to the interested 'general reader', and so to all those who seek a deeper understanding of Chinese and Western civilizations, their common human basis and their characteristic differences."