Classic of Poetry 5/15/14

       Poetry is widely regarded as an important part of any society, providing, at the very least, valuable insight into the culture from which it comes. In China, however, poetry was elevated far beyond simple works of artistic expression. As our text notes, “short verse gained a degree of political, social, and pedagogical importance in East Asia that it has hardly enjoyed anywhere else in the world” (Puchner 756). Part of the reason for that elevated importance is that poetry was a useful tool for teaching rhetoric, morals and virtues.

In the poem “Fishhawk,” we find a gentle maiden to be “pure and fair,” and those two adjectives are repeated throughout the poem to illustrate the value of those virtues (Fishhawk 759). Likewise, in the poem “Plums are Falling” we find the speaker to be a young woman who has just come of age and is seeking a husband. “Many men want me,” she repeats over and over, but by virtue she seeks to “be the bride of one” (Plums 760). Clearly one of the key underlying messages in this collection of poetry is the value of virtue.

We also find clear indications of the high moral standards in place throughout the poetry on display in this collection. In “Dead Roe Deer,” for example, we find an allusion to how pure young girls can be led astray and spoiled by despicable men. The deer, which is a metaphor for a young maiden, is said to have a heart “filled with spring” until a “gentleman led her astray” (Deer 761). The color white is often used to describe innocence, and the maiden is surrounded by “white rushes,” which is mentioned twice, emphasizing her purity and innocence. A clear idea of innocence and youth being despoiled by experience and amoral intentions is clearly communicated in what is largely a morality poem.

It might seem strange for a poem to reflect on a rhetorical case in favor of men and women getting together, but that’s just what we find in the poem “Zhen and Wei.” Here a life together is seen as “a place for our pleasure,” and the young couple then goes off together to “frolick” [sic] and “give as gift the peony,” which seems like an allusion to the consummation of their relationship (Zhen 763). The role of poetry as rhetoric is thus on display, even in a case that seems to need little encouragement.

The wide variety of ways in which poetry is utilized in “Classic of Poetry” clearly shows how important it was to contemporary Chinese culture. Whether being used to display moral values, to teach virtuous behavior or to convey rhetoric, poetry was a permeating part of daily life. It went well beyond the mere enjoyment we take from poetry in modern American society, delving into much deeper social status and standing.

Works Cited

“Dead Roe Deer.” Ed. Martin Puchner. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.

“Fishhawk.” Ed. Martin Puchner. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.

“Plums are Falling.” Ed. Martin Puchner. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.

Puchner, Martin. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.

Somadeva. "From Kathasaritsagara." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W. W. Norton, 2013. 1274-1279. Print.

“Zhen and Wei.” Ed. Martin Puchner. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Third ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Print.