Chinese literature

Chinese 310 Traditional Chinese Literature Survey
Response Questions for Meeting Two. Fall, 2003 Name: Zhong Xin
09/03/03


I. To the question: “Why do people read literature?” many of you put the key words “education” and “entertainment.” According to the Great Preface to Odes, literature is hardly for fun and not just about knowledge. What function does literature play in a society from the Confucian point of view?

Confucius has a simple moral and political teaching, which is to love others ; to honor one’s parents ; to do what is right instead of what is of advantage ; to practice ‘reciprocity,’ i.e. ‘ don’t do to others what you would not want yourself’ ; to rule by moral example instead of by force and violence ; and so on.
Chinese Literature reflects morals, politics, and traditional religions. In addition, literature presents the mo...