Parallel Diction

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.6

Word count: 845 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

In "Parallel Phrases," li means parallel pairing; lici (parallel phrases) are paired expressions that emphasize antithesis, one of the distinctive artistic features of Chinese literature. This chapter discusses the issue of antithesis in literature.

Editor's review

"Parallel Phrases" is a classical piece of literary criticism devoted to the question of antithesis in writing, published in the 2024 edition by Bashu Publishing House. In the title, li carries the sense of parallel pairing; lici refers to writing that emphasizes antithesis and parallelism, one of the more recognizable formal features of Chinese literary art. Starting from the origins, types, and merits and defects of antithesis, this chapter discusses how writing achieves balance between symmetry and variation. It is both introductory material for understanding the parallel-prose tradition and helpful for grasping the care with which ancient writers polished their wording. It is not long and its discussion is focused, making it suitable as supplementary reading in classical literary criticism and rhetoric. When reading, one may read it alongside specific poems and prose, note the examples of antithesis cited in the book, and appreciate the relationship between formal beauty and expressive function; one may also connect it with modern writing and consider how parallel techniques might be transformed in contemporary expression. For general readers, it is more like a key that opens the door to formal analysis of classical literature than a source of ready-made appreciative conclusions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in ancient literary criticism and rhetorical devices
Students of classical literature who need to understand parallel pairing and antithesis
Teachers of Chinese language and literature who want to supplement material on literary criticism
Readers who enjoy appreciating poetry and prose from a formal angle

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for a complete anthology of parallel prose or detailed annotations
Those who prefer modern vernacular writing techniques and have no interest in classical form
Beginners who need a systematic literary history textbook rather than a single essay

Reading tips

First read through once to grasp the line of discussion; do not get bogged down in rare terms word by word.
Refer to the examples of antithesis in the book, note them down, and try imitating one or two couplets.
After reading, choose a famous parallel-prose work to read alongside and test whether the discussion fits.
Consult grammar and rhetoric reference works to deepen understanding of the terminology.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
丽辞第三十五

FAQ

Does li in lici mean ornate?

No. Here li carries the sense of parallel pairing and pairing up; lici refers to writing that emphasizes antithesis and parallelism, with the focus on formal symmetry rather than ornate diction. Only by understanding this can one grasp the direction of the chapter's discussion of antithesis.

Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?

You can try, but a certain patience is required. The book involves terms from ancient literary criticism and examples of antithesis; it is advisable to read with annotations or reference works, first grasping the general meaning and then gradually reading closely, without insisting on understanding every detail at once.

How does this book differ from an anthology of parallel prose?

It is a piece of literary criticism discussing the question of antithesis, focusing on analyzing principles and merits and defects rather than offering selected readings of parallel prose. If you want to appreciate famous parallel-prose works directly, you need a separate anthology; if you want to understand why antithesis became a feature of Chinese literature, this book is more to the point.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.