East Asian Languages & Lits 231 - The Culture of the Lyric in Traditional China

China grounds its literary tradition in lyric poetry. One enduring definition of lyric, or shi, in the Chinese tradition is the natural, direct expression and reflection of one’s inner spirit as a result of a unique encounter with the world. This course is an introduction to masterworks of the Chinese lyric tradition from its oral beginnings through the Qing dynasty. Through close, careful readings of folk songs, poems, prose and excerpts from the novel Dream of the Red Chamber, students inquire into how the spiritual, philosophical and political concerns dominating the poets’ milieu shaped the lyric language through the ages. All readings are in English translation; no knowledge of Chinese required.