The Alter Ego Perspectives of Literary Historiography : A Comparative Study of Literary Histories by Stephen Owen and Chinese Scholars

This comparative analysis of the major Chinese literary histories in
China and in the West illuminates alter ego perspectives in literary
historiography. Includes two case studies of Chinese poems on the notion of discursive communities and the Cultural Tang. This book mainly discusses about the alter ego perspectives in literary historiography. This comparative analysis of the major Chinese literary histories in China and in the West brings to light the alter ego perspectives of Stephen Owen in literary historiography. The most interesting part of the book will be the interpretation of new notions and perspectives proposed by Stephen Owen, especially in the newly published The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature (2010). This book gives a detailed overview about the different stages of writing Chinese literary history and the different modes of literary historiography in China and in the West. Two case studies of Chinese poems are made on the notion of discursive communities and the Cultural Tang. Readers will a better understanding about the paradigm of literary historiography and the interrelationships between the different modes of literary historiography and the intellectual history. -Chapter 1: Introduction 1.0. Background of the Study 1.1. Rationale for the Study 1.2. Significance of the Study 1.3. Outline of the Study -Chapter 2: An Overview of Chinese Literary History 2.0. Definitions of Literary History 2.1. Literary Histories Compiled by Chinese Scholars in Chinese 2.2. Chinese Literary Histories Compiled by Japanese Sinologists 2.3. Chinese Literary Histories Compiled by Western Sinologists (Mainly English) 2.4. Conclusion of the Different Modes of Chinese Literary Histories -Chapter 3: The Notion of Discursive Communities: A Case Study of Huaigu Poems 3.0. The New Notion of Discursive Communities 3.1. The Subgenre of Huaigu Poems and Discursive Communities 3.2. The Implications of Discursive Communities on Chinese Literary History Studies 3.3. The Theoretical Implications of Discursive Communities -Chapter 4: The Cultural Tang and Temple Visiting Poems 4.0. The Cultural Tang and Temple Visiting Poems 4.1. Temple Visiting Poems and the Beginning & End of the Cultural Tang 4.2. Literary Values and Conventions of Temple Visiting Poems 4.3. Temple Visiting Poems and the Field of Cultural Production 4.4. Discussions and Implications -Chapter 5: The Alter Ego Perspectives and Literary Historiography 5.0. Chinese Literary History and the Alter Ego Perspectives 5.1. The Theoretical Framework of Literary Historiography 5.2. Literary Historiography and the Intellectual History 5.3. Meta-historiography in Literary History Studies 5.4. Canon Formation and Power Relations 5.5. Conclusion Wang Min, Ph. D., Lecturer of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, member of the Modern Language Association of America, visiting scholars of Harvard University (USA) and Lancaster University (UK). Her research interests include literary historiography, Chinese literature and sinology. Published widely in national and international journals and conferences, she is the winners of "the National Grant of Overseas Research Program by China Scholarship Council" and "SMC Distinguished Young Scholar Award".