Proclamations and Dispatches

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.2

Word count: 982 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

A genre name. The combined designation of proclamatory essays (xi) and dispatch notices (yi). Liu Xie of the Liang dynasty in Southern Dynasties states in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, "Proclamations and Dispatches": "Thus xi and yi serve both civil and military purposes; in military campaigns, xi are used against rebellious factions, while yi are employed for those who comply with orders."

Editor's review

This book centers on two classical genres, the xi (proclamatory essay) and the yi (dispatch notice), using the canonical discussion in Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, "Proclamations and Dispatches," as its thread to trace the distinct uses of xi and yi in civil and military affairs. Xi were mainly employed to denounce rebellious factions and clarify military discipline, while yi served to instruct those who complied with orders and to facilitate communication between peers; though both belong to the category of official documents, they differ in tone, audience, and occasion. This edition by Bashu Press makes it convenient for readers to grasp the basic meaning of this generic concept and the related discussions in classical Chinese literary studies. For readers studying ancient Chinese genre classification, the tradition of official document writing, or The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, this book offers a concrete and focused point of entry. It may be read alongside specific famous xi and yi pieces to appreciate the interplay between generic norms and writing practice, and to observe how ancients conveyed stance and attitude through generic choice.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of ancient Chinese genre classification and literary studies
General readers interested in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons and classical literary theory
Enthusiasts of ancient official documents and the tradition of official writing
Writing researchers seeking to understand the basic concepts of xi and yi

Not a good fit for

Casual readers expecting long narratives or literary works
Beginners lacking classical Chinese proficiency who need extensive annotations
Practical readers seeking only modern applied writing templates

Reading tips

Read the original "Proclamations and Dispatches" chapter of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons first, then use the book's conceptual framework to build a basic structure.
Read alongside a specific famous xi or yi piece to appreciate how generic norms operate in actual writing.
Take brief notes distinguishing xi and yi in terms of audience, tone, and occasion.

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
檄移第二十

FAQ

What is the main difference between xi and yi?

According to The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, "Proclamations and Dispatches," xi and yi serve both civil and military purposes: in military campaigns, xi are used against rebellious factions to declare the intent to suppress, while yi are used for those who comply with orders to instruct and communicate. The two differ in audience and tone—xi tend to be severe, yi relatively mild.

Can readers without a classical Chinese background read this book?

The book centers on generic concepts and is relatively focused in length and content, but it involves terminology from classical literary theory. Readers with weaker classical Chinese are advised to first learn the basic background of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons or read with an annotated edition before approaching this book.

Is this book suitable for learning official document writing?

The book focuses on classical generic concepts rather than serving as a modern official writing manual. It helps readers understand the traditional uses and literary positioning of xi and yi, but those aiming at modern applied writing should seek practical textbooks elsewhere.

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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.