Some Notes on the Authorship of the Lii Ling/Su Wuu Letters—II

K. P. K. Whitaker

doi:10.1017/S0041977X00111498

Some Notes on the Authorship of the Lii Ling/Su Wuu Letters—II

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2009

K. P. K. Whitaker

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In my first article on this question the following conclusions were reached: (1) that all the five letters referred to were spurious; and (2) that letters 1, 2, and 3 were probably written by one and the same author. In this article I shall attempt to show that the themes, style, and atmosphere of the three letters in question lead to the further conclusion that their author was probably Jiang Ian of the Liang Dynasty (tzyh Wen-tong , A.D. 444–505). Before discussing this special case of literary ‘forgery’ it may be helpful to cast a glance at the practice of literary forgery in China generally, while directing our attention especially to the motives for such activities.

Type: Articles
Information: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , October 1953 , pp. 566 - 587

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0041977X00111498 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1953

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References

^{page 566 note 1} See, for instance, Karlgren, , Philology and Ancient China, Oslo, 1926, p. 96.Google Scholar

^{page 566 note 2} Shyytong by Liou Jy-ji , ed. by , rep. Shanghai 1926, p. 222. .

^{page 566 note 3} See Hightower, J. R., Topics in Chinese Literature, revised edition, Harvard University Press, 1953, p. 61.CrossRef Google Scholar

^{page 567 note 1} There are, however, no such examples in the collected works of Tsay Iong and Tsaur Jyr , who belong to an earlier period.

^{page 567 note 2} See his biography in the Beei Shyy , by Lii Yan-show Syh Buh Bey Yaw, bound edition, hereafter abbreviated to SBBY J. 59, pp. 651b to 652a.Google Scholar

^{page 568 note 1} See below, p. 586.

^{page 568 note 2} See Part I, p. 129.

^{page 568 note 3} Where Lii Ling's family came from.

^{page 568 note 4} From Wey-Jinn onwards princes and kings vied with one another in patronizing scholars.

^{page 568 note 5} See later, p. 576, n. 1.

^{page 568 note 6} jiang Wen-tong Jyi , in the Tsong shu jyi cherng p. 33Google Scholar, hereafter abbreviated to TSJC, used for page reference throughout this paper for Jiang lan's works.

^{page 569 note 1} … … loc. cit., p. 97.

^{page 569 note 2} See Part I, p. 117.

^{page 570 note 1} Lii Lins is rePuted to have said this in the biography of Su Wuu , Hannshu Buujuh, J. 54, p. 52a.Google Scholar

^{page 570 note 2} See his biography in the Nan Shyy by Lii Yan-show , SBBY; J. 59, p. 420a. His first dream appears to have occurred when he was around 54.

^{page 571 note 1} in the Tynggaw CSSCHSLW, J. 36, p. 9b.Google Scholar

^{page 571 note 2} The edition of the Wensheuan used throughout this article is that of the Syh Buh Tsong Kan

^{page 571 note 3} Texts from the CSSCHSLW (, J. 26, p. 5a) and the Yihwen Leyjiuh, J. 30, p. 10bGoogle Scholar, read .

^{page 575 note 1} The phrase from the seems closer to Jiang's version of the fuh on the Park of Liang Wang than Mei Shenq's.

^{page 575 note 2} For read according to the text in the Wensheuan SBTK.

^{page 576 note 1} Jyi, Jiang Wen-tong, p. 19Google Scholar. There are those who admire only ancient works and look down on contemporary ones. I say: Why should it be so? Where there is no writer who understands music [i.e. the art of writing well], then nothing could be done; [but if there is, i.e. some one like myself, well.… ]. Whereupon I compose a fuh in the old style in order to revive [or was it to excel?] the composition of Mei Shenq.

^{page 576 note 2} , Jiang Wen-tong Jyi, p. 33Google Scholar. In the preface to the thirty ‘imitation’ poems of previous writers' styles Jiang Ian says: It is human nature to value a literary style far away from us in time and to despise what is contemporary. It is also a common fault among us to consider as important [and good] what is hearsay and consider as unimportant [and inferior] what we can see with our eyes. That is why Harndan [Harndan Chwen of Wey?] composed his song in the name of Lii Chyi [of later Hann?] while Jong Huey attributed his dissertation to Roan Jyi . Whereas the five-syllable line did not, I expect, originate in very ancient times.… Now I have composed thirty poems in imitation of the respective writers' styles. Although they cannot claim to rank with the originals [in literary excellence] I hope I have not gone far wrong in my investigations [of the styles which I have imitated].

^{page 577 note 1} … loc. cit., p.18.

^{page 577 note 2} See Wensheuan Shyue , by Luoh Horng-Kae , Shanghai, 1937Google Scholar: . p. 170: Again: p. 172. Again: …, p. 170, showing that critics have been thinking of various possibilities, but Jiang lan's direct ‘quote’ of a phrase in Letter 3 leads Luoh Horng-kae to believe that the letter must have been written earlier than Jiang lan's time, indeed it casts not the least doubt on Jiang Ian himself. Letter 3 has thus been attributed variously to a southerner pining in the north in Nanbeeichaur times, a man of the Jiann-an period (196–219), probably Chern Lin , and even Symaa Chian, but never Jiang Ian himself.

^{page 578 note 1} See Part I, pp. 129–130.

^{page 579 note 1} See under III F, pp. 575–6.

^{page 579 note 2} See Part I, p. 131. In this connexion Prof. L. S. Yang has kindly pointed out in a letter to me that another anachronism should be added to those in Letter 3, viz. . Since the Hann princess sent in marriage to the U-suen was a contemporary of Lii Ling, she should not have been referred to as shyi ren (‘a person in ancient times’). Her song, Beichiou-ge is included in her biography, Hannshu Buujuh, J. 96B, p. 25b.Google Scholar

^{page 579 note 3} See Part I, pp. 128–9.

^{page 580 note 1} In the preface to this fuh Jiang Ian seems to object to the habit of his age of worshipping the literary style of the past. He maintains that this is unjustified so long as there are still people with discernment [in literary matters]. He follows this up with the information that he himself is going to compose a fuh in the old style in order to compete with Mei Shenq's work. See p. 576, n. 1.

^{page 580 note 2} This ‘quote’ was not used by Jiang Ian in this ‘imitation’ fuh, but in his instead, viz. Incidentally it appears that Jiang Ian punctuates this Hann fuh in the same manner as the editor of the Guu Wen Yuann viz. ; whereas in the Yihwen Leyjuh, J. 65, p. 4bGoogle Scholar, the punctuation seems to be .

^{page 580 note 3} For the text of the ‘model’ see , J. 20, pp. 1a-2a CSSCHSLW.

^{page 580 note 4} Jiang Wen-tong Jyi, p. 19.Google Scholar

^{page 581 note 1} Cf. Yuh, Song's Dengtwutzyy Haw Seh Fuh: Google Scholar

^{page 581 note 2} Cf. ibid.:

^{page 581 note 3} This theme occurs also in the Meeiren Fuh , which is attributed to Symaa Shiangru (reprinted, e.g. in the Guuwenyuann), Jiang lan's phrase from the Shyue Liang Wang Tuhyuan Fuh resembles closely the sentence . from the Meeiren Fuh.

^{page 581 note 4} Passage a: Passage b:

^{page 581 note 5} The Preface of these poems states that they are ‘imitation’ poems in the style of the various authors named (in the title of each poem). Jiang Wen-tong Jyi, p. 33. (See p. 568.)Google Scholar

^{page 582 note 1} Through the association of the phrases and in the ‘Su Wuu’ poem, the Ode is recalled. Further leads to the thought of the Ode , which again leads to the fish of the Ode .

^{page 584 note 1} See Part I, pp. 134–7.

^{page 584 note 2} These two phrases are not included in the text of the Yihwen Leyjiuh, J. 30, p. 10bGoogle Scholar, but quoted as an extract from that fuh by the commentator in the Wensheuan, J. 39, p. 25bGoogle Scholar, as a source of the very phrases of Jiang lan's given above. It is interesting to note that the writer of Letter 2 also quotes from this ‘Symaa Chian’ fuh, viz. [Letter 2]; cf.

^{page 586 note 1} The ‘Lii Ling’ poems were apparently accepted as genuine by Jong Rong (c. 500) in his Classification of Poets , but he did not make any reference to this explicitly.