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Research On Rhetoric In Zuo Zhuan

Posted on:2009-03-13Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:H LiFull Text:PDF
GTID:1115360278996656Subject:Chinese classical literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
There are eight chapters in this dissertation. In the first two chapters, the author analyzes the uses of figures of speech in Zuo Zhuan in the third chapter, the author presents the excellent skills of the words and phrases in Zuo Zhuan in the fourth chapter, the author makes comments on the choices of various sentence structures in the fifth chapter, the author focuses on the textual arrangement in the sixth chapter, the author emphasizes the unique style of Zuo Zhuan in the seventh chapter, the author summarizes the rhetoric ideas and theories in Zuo Zhuan in the last chapter, the author concludes the status and influence of the rhetoric in Zuo Zhuan in the history of Chinese rhetoric.In terms of the use of figures of speech, the quotations in Tao Chuan, which are reflected not only in the graceful activities, such as quotating songs and inditing them,but also in the collection of the common children's songs and pithy sayings, suit both refined and popular tastes and are considered as forerunner of quotating from classical works for later generations. Speaking of the quotated diction, it typifies for unity from beginning to the end, self-created rhymes and altered words. There are plenty of vivid and apt metaphors which are still reserved in contemporary Chinese idioms, such as the house is empty like the swung bell(室如悬磬), people's characters are different from each other just like their different faces(人心如面), harvesting nothing just as planting crops on a piece of field full of stones(如获石田), guests feel as comfortable at the guesthouse as they are at home(宾至如归), following what is right as a stream follows its course(从善如流), one feels comfortable as he is in the mild sunshine in winter(冬日之日) , one feels uncomfortable as he is in the roasting weather in summer(夏日之日), bitter medicine cures serious illness(美疢药石),a nd as fierce as boars and snakes(封豕长蛇),e tc. One of the metaphor methods:"as/like + a nominal structure"also affects the later generations. The artistic charm in Zuo Zhuan is further heightened by a series of figures of speech, such as exaggeration, taboo, euphemism, irony, parallelism, antithesis, intertextuality, puns, transferred epithet, contrast, symbolism, etc.The effective uses of language in Zuo Zhuan are also reflected on the choices and uses of synonyms, including verbs, nouns and pronouns. It is noticeable that many substitutions of polite and modest addresses for pronouns of the first and second person are more polite and modest in expression. Not only do these terms of address reflect the features of the remote antiquity, but also the important characteristics in rhetoric. In addition, a large quantity of consecutive uses of synonyms and antonyms do a great contribution both to the coordination of syllables, the consolidation of concepts, and to the word-building and development of double syllables. And the contrast between synonyms and antonyms plays an important role both in prominence and emphasis.The choices of sentence patterns expressing rhetorical question or a mild tone in the aspect of tones, and the choices of inversion structure, ellipsis structure, passive structure as well as some other special structures including specific pattern marks in the structural aspect make changes among various structures and expressions more vivid and natural. For example, the sentence pattern of rhetorical question can strengthen the power of the tone, while the sentence pattern expressing a mild tone in Zuo Zhuan importantly embodies its implicit language style in terms of sentence pattern. And the uses of inversion structure, passive structure as well as other special structures make the whole article full of variations , mighty and magnificent.The rational arrangement of articles in Zuo Zhuan bases on the rich and varied time expressions, including words, structures and sentences. The vivid historical scenes of battle and diplomacy happened during 240 years are reproduced lively, which benefits from all kinds of complementary narrative methods, such as primary narration (including"foreshadow","comment","dream","epistolary","divination","changes of weather"and"telling one's fortune by reading his face"), narrative interspersed with flashbacks (including"hearing","dream"and"historical data"), narration of earlier episodes and supplementary narration. Small-scale battle descriptions were imitated from those of chunqiu Classics, while large-scale battle descriptions focused on the foreshadowing before wars. The description of diplomatic scenes is like the latter, that is to take great pains to pile on the atmosphere and momentum. The arrangement shows the outstanding narrative methods of Zuo Zhuan --- detail first and brievity later, or vise versa, or reason first and then the matter, or ellipsis first and exhaustive later, or ellipsis in the middle and exhaustive and detailed at the beginning and in the end, or first diffusiveness and then summary.There are also various styles such as declaration, eulogy, oath, motto, pray, memorial speech, notes, prose poem and so forth. Their sincere emotion and excellent diction have exerted a great influence on the later generations. Among them, the explicit instructions given by the emperor of Zhou Dynasty to his dukes were first recorded in Zuo Zhuan , which were the source of explicit instructions. And"Duke Jin Asked Lv Xiang to Destroy Qin State"in the 13 th year of Duke Cheng, as an example of war proclamation, was imitated by the later generations to write Chu articles. The discourse told by Zang Wuzhong to Ji Sun in the 19t h year of Duke Xiang repeatedly argued and indicated the content requirements of inscriptions. Besides,"Family Zhengzi Made Letters Sent"in the 19 th year of Duke Wen, in which two Chinese characters"Yu Shu"("与书") first appeared, was the earliest letter in existence.Its language styles, which are featured by elegance, implicitness, vividness and terseness, have set an example for the later creation. Many of its characteristic speeches have been fixed through years into idioms and have now been widely used in spoken or written expressions.Theories on rhetoric in Zuo Zhuan concern many aspects, such as views on roles of speech expressions, attitudes to their forms, objective evaluation to people's words and the interpretation of writing styles of The Spring and Autumn Annals, etc. Among these rhetorical theories, there are many famous ones, for instance,"Speeches should attach great importance to its grace"(The 24 th year of Duke Xi),"If the language lacks grace, it won't stand the test of time"(The 25 th year of Duke Xiang), and"Poetry should express people's emotions"(The 27t h year of Duke Xiang), etc. Though they didn't form a complete and systematic theory, they have exerted a profound influence on the late generations. In addition, the author's clean-cut stand in the course of interpreting and transmitting chunqiu Classics, the idiomatic expressions in the course of diction and his attitudes to other assisting forms of effects in speech expressions are all the embodiment and practice of his rhetorical thoughts. Besides, its perfectly vivid words of interpreting chunqiu Classics are not only its best notes, but also serve as the forerunner of wording and phrasing criticism to the later generations.The great success of Zuo Zhuan in literature and history influences the creation of later generations in terms of historical contents and creation forms. Its diversified figures of speech, skillful diction, various sentence structures, original textural arrangements, concise language styles and profound rhetorical views are all the examples of the later generations, which make Zuo Zhuan stand in an important and irreplaceable position in the history of Chinese rhetoric.
Keywords/Search Tags:Zuo Zhuan, figures of speech, dictions of words, dictions of sentences, text, style
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