Chinese Rhetoric and Writing - An Introduction for Language Teachers, 2012a

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Chapter 10 and task for 2000 was a written response to four graphs given as visual stimuli, whereby students were required to express their own perspectives, their different understandings, approaches and solutions to real life issues. The essay topics also vary from region to region. The various essay topics on the one hand show that Chinese students, despite the mention of the qi-cheng-zhuan-he structure in some textbooks do not have to learn traditional Chinese text styles, in the same manner as the Chinese ancient Shuyuan students did, in order to enter universities. Contemporary Chinese students “are encouraged to be inventive and original in their writing” (Kirkpatrick “Are They Really so Different?” 50–1). BOOKS ON CHINESE COMPOSITION PRIOR TO THE 1990s Prior to the 1990s, Chinese composition courses and course book writing at the tertiary level were given more emphasis than they are today. For example, in the late 1970s, the Ministry of Education organised a number of meetings to discuss composition teaching and course book writing. One resultant course book was Fundamentals for Writing (Xiezuo jichu zhishi) (Liu X. et al.). This book was reviewed by prominent Chinese linguists including Lü Shuxiang, Zhu Dexi and Zhang Zhigong. It comprises chapters about definitions and the social functions of writing and attitudes towards writing; the collection of writing material; theme development; composition structure; language; narration; description and dialogue; argumentation and exposition; revising and editing; and writing styles. As far as language is concerned, this book advises that “language should be used to communicate and exchange ideas”, and that the use of language should be “precise, concise, vivid, and simple” (Liu X. et al. 147– 54). The book also pointed out eight common “sins” in contemporary writing, namely “fake writing”, “empty writing”, “irrational or unreasonable writing”, “rigid writing”, “insinuation writing”, “invariable writing”, “brainwashing writing”, and “writing for fame and benefits” (Liu X. 298–9). Other course books on writing published in the 1980s focused on fundamental writing skills training, and the relationship between writing and reading. Lu, Shi, and Fan’s A Writing Course Book contains chapters on developing the basic skills needed for writing (e.g., observing, investigating, developing topic and theme, selecting material, developing structure, using language and appropriate writing styles, distinguishing speech and writing, imitating and being creative, and drafting and revising), and the training of writing in different genres, e.g., narration, argumentation, exposition, and practical writing. The book advocates the collection of empirical data for writing. For example, the authors (7–8) list six ways of collecting data: focus group interviews; individual interviews; field 198
Contemporary Chinese University Writing (Course) Books work; the writer’s first-hand experience; observations; and literature, reference and archive searches. Hu’s University Writing contains not only a variety of topics on writing per se, but also a chapter which provides twenty sample readings, including a selection from the Chinese classics. One such piece is the Memorial Expressing My Feelings by Limi (224–87 CE) (translated and discussed in Chapter 2). The readings also contain contemporary masterpieces from both home and abroad. “Medicine” by Lu Xun (1881-1936), “Friendship or invasionInvasion?” by Mao Zedong (1893-1976), “The Cop and the Anthem” by O’Henry (1862-1910), and “On Authority” by Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) are examples. According to Hu (382), reading just twenty sample articles is far from sufficient and students need to consult other classical and modern collections in order to improve their writing skills. In Chapter 8, we reviewed two important studies on paragraph development and arrangement. Hao identified eleven different ways in which paragraphs can be organised (Kirkpatrick, “Chinese Rhetoric” 251–5). The first of these is the juxtaposition of coordinates, binglie guanxi. The second way of organising a paragraph is through sequencing, chengjie guanxi. Paragraphs that follow this pattern are chronologically sequenced and are straightforward. The third method is dijin guanxi, and this is defined as a linguistic style that follows sequential ordering based on size, height, number, depth or weight. The fourth organisational method is the xuanze guanxi, literally “choosing relation”. The fifth method is the jieshuo guanxi where the function of the latter part of the paragraph is to provide an explanation or example of what has been expressed earlier. The sixth organisational principle is the zhuanzhe guanxi, the transitional or contrastive relation. The seventh is the yinguo guanxi, or the cause and effect relation, which, in our view, is of greatest significance for the organisation of text in Chinese. The eighth and ninth organising principles or logical relations are jiashe or hypothetical, and tiaojian or conditional, respectively. The tenth method of paragraph organisation is the mudi guanxi, or purpose, or “in order to” type connection. The eleventh is the zongfen or whole-part organisational principle. “This eleventh principle is closely linked to inductive and deductive methods of argument, with whole-part linked to deductive argument and partwhole to inductive” (Kirkpatrick 2002: 254). In his review of a sample of Chinese composition books written in the 1980s and 1990s, Kirkpatrick (246) points out that “the influence of European and English rhetoric should not be overlooked. The May 4 th Movement of 1919 saw a flood of translations of European and English texts of a variety of different types and these translations had a stylistic influence on contemporary Chinese writing”. He also points out that “by the 1980s a wider range of examples [for 199
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CHINESE RHETORIC AND WRITING AN INT
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PERSPECTIVES ON WRITING Series Edit
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The WAC Clearinghouse, Fort Collins
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CHINESE RHETORIC AND WRITING: AN IN
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Introduction that there are more sp
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Introduction in Beijing, where he a
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Introduction Chapter 1 also demonst
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Chapter 1 from Emperor to subject,
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2 THE LITERARY BACKGROUND AND RHETO
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Literary Background and Rhetorical
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3 THE RULES OF WRITING 9 IN MEDIEVA
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The Rules of Writing In Medieval Ch
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Chapter 4 we shall argue, using con
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Chapter 4 The baguwen has been call
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Chapter 4 The Baguwen: A Traditiona
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Chapter 4 Way at the right time; th
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Chapter 4 pianwen and guwen styles.
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Chapter 4 he has written himself in
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Chapter 4 Links between a computer
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Chapter 4 What is of greatest inter
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5 SHUYUAN AND CHINESE WRITING TRAIN
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Shuyuan and Chinese Writing Trainin
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6 PRINCIPLES OF SEQUENCING AND RHET
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Principles of Sequencing and Rhetor
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Chapter 7 the “so” marker signa
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Chapter 7 So, while we agree with Y
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Chapter 7 The second extract, (3),
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Chapter 7 6. now thus (yinci) I not
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Chapter 7 Inductive-Deductive Reaso
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Chapter 7 We have also argued that
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Chapter 8 “politically active lit
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Chapter 8 as a reference for the pa
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