This term, first coined by Li Yu (1611-1680), refers to the last scene of the first half of a play. It includes the requirement for and techniques of concluding the first half of the play. Besides the structural completeness of this section, all the relevant characters and events should have appeared by now or been duly introduced, and no ongoing e…
Pinli, meaning diplomatic etiquette and protocol for the visits by the lords to the king and by one lord to another, is an important part of political activity in ancient China. Depending on such factors as the status of visitor and host and the purpose and frequency of the visits, diplomatic etiquette was conducted at three levels: between two duca…
The term refers to charm inherent in an inspiration, or charm created when the object or scene depicted in a poem is appreciated. It is a type of aesthetic enjoyment contained in a poem which is gained through the reader’s act of appreciation. In Canglang’s Criticism of Poetry, Yan Yu(?-1264), a poetry critic of the Southern Song Dynasty, voice…