A New Interpretation of Ci Studies

Name: A New Interpretation of Ci Studies
ISBN: 9787301132784

Chiaying YehPeking University Press · ChinaAug 2025

4.5

Word count: 159K words
Chapters: 30
ISBN: 9787301132784

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Summary

The development of Chinese ci studies has lagged behind that of shi poetics. Although traditional ci hua contain many original insights, they lack theoretical logic and a scientific system. Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua broke new ground in bringing ci studies into the modern era, yet it still adopted the form of traditional ci hua and offered no detailed exposition of the new ideas and concepts it raised. Drawing on deep grounding in traditional culture and Western theory, Professor Ye Jiaying extends beyond where Wang Guowei stopped, using modern concepts and theories as tools to scientifically develop and systematize traditional ci studies and to build a new framework of ci theory accessible to modern readers. This book collects several important essays within that framework.

Editor's review

The book's value lies in continuing the modern direction in ci studies opened by Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua and in attempting to supply the detailed exposition of new ideas and concepts that Wang left unfinished. Drawing on deep grounding in traditional culture and Western theory, Ye Jiaying uses modern concepts and theoretical tools to scientifically develop and systematize traditional ci studies, building a new framework of ci theory accessible to modern readers; the essays collected here are several important pieces within that framework. Reading this book makes clear how traditional ci hua gave way to a modern ci studies grounded in theoretical logic and a scientific system, and conveys the measure and tension involved in interpreting classical ci through modern theory. It suits readers with basic experience of reading ci who wish to deepen their theoretical understanding; those seeking only appreciations of famous works may find it weighted toward theoretical construction. Readers are advised to familiarize themselves with Wang Guowei's relevant discussions before beginning the book.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Enthusiasts who have read a fair amount of Tang and Song ci and wish to raise their theoretical understanding
Chinese literature students who need to understand how modern ci theory was constructed
Readers interested in Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua who want to know how it was developed further
Scholars of ci studies or classical literary criticism concerned with the modern transformation of traditional ci hua

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no reading experience of ci who want only appreciations of famous works
Casual readers expecting relaxed essay-style discussions of ci and reluctant to engage with theoretical concepts
Practical readers seeking only reference works on ci prosody or annotated anthologies

Reading tips

Read the relevant passages of Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua first, then enter this book to see where it continues.
After each essay, restate its core concepts, then look back at the corresponding formulations in traditional ci hua.
Keep a commonly used ci anthology at hand and read the original works closely whenever example ci are cited.
Make card-style notes of theoretical terms, and after accumulating them read the whole book to clarify the framework.

About the publisher

Peking University Press China · Founded in 1979

Peking University Press is a comprehensive university press whose publishing areas cover classical literature, popular science, social culture, world history, Western philosophy, and culture. Its catalogue contains 6,031 titles, with representative books including A Dream of Red Mansions, Relativity: The Special and General Theory (15th Edition) (with Einstein's classic papers on unified field theory and other topics), Elements, Conics, The Aristocratic Families of the Eastern Jin, The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume I), The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume II), and The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Representative authors include Cao Xueqin, Zhou Ruchang, Albert Einstein, Euclid, Apollonius, Tian Yuqing, Schelling, and Xian Gang. The press has developed distinctive strengths in classical Chinese literature and in the translation of Western philosophical classics, while also covering scientific classics and social and cultural studies. As public information is limited, this description is based only on the books in the catalogue and offers no further extrapolation.

版权信息
《迦陵著作集》总序
迦陵随笔
一前言
二似而非是之说
三从现象学到境界说
四作为评词标准之境界说
五要眇宜修之美与在神不在貌
六张惠言与王国维对美学客体之两种不同类型的诠释
七从符号与信息之关系谈诗歌的衍义之诠释的依据
八温庭筠《菩萨蛮》词所传达的多种信息及其判断之准则
九 “兴于微言”与“知人论世”
十 “比兴”之说与“诗可以兴”
十一从李煜词与赵佶词之比较看王国维重视感发作用的评词依据
十二感发之联想与作品之主题
十三三种境界与接受美学
十四文本之依据与感发之本质
十五结束语
论词学中之困惑与《花间》词之女性叙写及其影响
一
二
三
对传统词学中之困惑的理论反思
对常州词派张惠言与周济二家词学的现代反思
对传统词学与王国维词论在西方理论之观照中的反思
前言
一从中国词学之传统看词之特质
二王国维对词之特质的体认
三从西方文论看中国词学
论词之美感特质之形成及反思与世变之关系

FAQ

Can I read this book without having read Renjian Cihua?

Yes, but it is advisable to fill in some background first. The book is regarded as extending beyond where Wang Guowei stopped, using modern concepts and theoretical tools to develop and systematize traditional ci studies. Without any knowledge of the new ideas and concepts raised in Renjian Cihua, it is hard to see the continuity. Skim the main entries of Renjian Cihua before starting this book for smoother understanding.

Is this book an appreciation of ci works or a work of ci theory?

According to the materials, the book collects several important essays in which the author builds a new framework of modern ci theory; its focus is using modern concepts and theory as tools to scientifically develop and systematize traditional ci studies, not appreciating individual ci works one by one. Ci examples appear, but the aim is theoretical construction. If you want a guided appreciation of famous works, this is not that kind of book.

Traditional ci hua lack a theoretical system; how does this book remedy that?

The materials note that traditional ci hua, though rich in original insights, lack theoretical logic and a scientific system; Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua broke new ground but still used the traditional form and lacked detailed exposition of new ideas and concepts. This book uses modern concepts and theory as tools to scientifically develop and systematize traditional ci studies, attempting to build a new framework of ci theory accessible to modern readers; the essays collected are important parts of that framework.

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About the author

Chiaying Yeh Author · Canadian · 1924–2024

Ye Jiaying (1924–2024), known by the courtesy name Jialing, was a Chinese-Canadian scholar of classical Chinese literature, educator, and poet. She devoted her career to the study and teaching of classical Chinese poetry and ci. Her representative works include Collected Essays on Ci by Jialing, Collected Essays on Qing Ci, Ye Jiaying's Commentary on Renjian Cihua, and New Annotations and Commentary on Wang Guowei's Ci. Her writings combine ci theory with close appreciation of individual works; her lectures are accessible and often move from particular lines to reflections on aesthetic realm and feeling, earning her a wide readership among both scholars and general readers. The library holds 25 of her works, covering literary appreciation, classical poetry, and inspirational growth. Lecture-based volumes such as Transmitting Learning: Lectures on Chinese Literature and Reflections on Classical Chinese Poetry present her way of conveying the spirit of poetry through teaching.