Literati Storytelling in Late Medieval China

259 Pages·2015·1.53 MB·Modern Language Initiative Books

by  Manling Luo

Literati Storytelling
in Late Medieval China

Literati Storytelling
in Late Medieval China
Manling Luo
university of washington press Seattle and London
this book is made possible by a collaborative grant
from the andrew w. mellon foundation.
Publication of this book was also supported by a
grant from the Association for Asian Studies First
Book Subvention Program.
© 2015 by the University of Washington Press
19 18 17 16 15 5 4 3 2 1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording, or any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publisher.
University of Washington Press
www.washington.edu/uwpress
Publication of this Book was also supported by a
grant from the Association for Asian Studies First
Book Subvention Program.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Luo, Manling.
Literati storytelling in late medieval China /
Manling Luo.
pages cm. — (Modern language initiative)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-295-99414-7 (hardcover : acid-free paper)
ISBN 978-0-295-99415-4 (pbk. : acid-free paper)
1. Chinese literature—Tang dynasty, 618–907—
History and criticism. 2. Chinese literature—Five
dynasties and the Ten kingdoms, 907–979—History
and criticism. 3. Storytelling in literature.
4. Storytelling—China. 5. Literature and society—
China—History—To 1500. 6. China—Intellectual
life—Tang dynasty, 618–907. 7. China—Intellectual
life—Five dynasties and the Ten kingdoms, 907–979.
I. Title.
PL2283.L86 2014
895.109’003—dc23 2014023341
The paper used in this publication is acid-free and
meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48–1984.∞
For Jiping

contents
Acknowledgments ix
Note to Readers xiii
Chronology xv
Introduction 3
1. Sovereignty: The Case of the Illustrious Emperor 24
2. Literati Sociality: Remembering Individuals and
Community in Historical Miscellanies 60
3. Sexuality: Women, Literati, and Nonmarital Bonds 99
4. Cosmic Mobility: The Possibility and Impossibility
of Moving Beyond 136
Conclusion: The Power and Legacies of Late Medieval
Literati Storytelling 172
Chinese Character Glossary 183
Notes 191
Bibliography 215
Index 237

acknowledgments
The completion of this book has finally given me the opportunity to
tell my own story of indebtedness to the many people who have made
the book possible. Robert E. Hegel has been a constant source of sup-
port and encouragement. From the earliest drafts to this present form,
he has offered numerous suggestions, always insightful and enlight-
ening. His critical acumen and fine scholarship have never ceased to
inspire me.
Beata Grant, Lingchei Letty Chen, Steven Miles, Elizabeth A.
Oyler, and Linda Nicholson deserve special credit for their thought-
provoking comments and questions. They prompted me to reconsider
the focus and framework of my project and to venture beyond my
comfort zone into the little-explored territories of Tang anecdotal lit-
erature. Like the Bodhisattvas that she teaches about, Grant gener-
ously gave me much of her time and other invaluable assistance. Oyler
has always reached out to me whenever I have needed help and went
well beyond her call of duty.
I was fortunate to come to Indiana University, where I found an
amazing intellectual community. Lynn Struve has read pretty much
everything I have written, sometimes more than once. I have benefited
tremendously from her always timely and insightful critiques and cor-
rections. My comrades in a writing group, Heather Blair, Kevin Tsai,
and Kevin Martin, sustained me through the long journey of writing
and rewriting with their knowledge, insights, patience, and humor.
Dubbed “the queen” of the writing group, Heather’s “relentless”
enforcement of deadlines was crucial in keeping me on track. She even
read my drafts outside our group schedule, and her incisive questions
and suggestions have been invaluable in my struggle to gain concep-
tual clarity in this project. Scott O’Bryan and Ellen Wu kindly read