We are delighted to invite you to watch the second topic of our video series “How to Read Chinese Poetry,” co-hosted by Professor Wai-yee Li of Harvard University. This topic, titled “The Book of Poetry and Diplomacy,” explores how poetry served as a tool for diplomatic negotiations and power struggles in ancient China.
Episode 5: The Book of Poetry and Diplomacy — Who is the Boss?
This episode explores the struggle for hegemony through two scenes centered on the recitation (and creative manipulation) of odes. The first depicts a Jin prince in exile who declares his ambition despite his precarious and dependent position. The second presents a Jin leader firmly countering the arrogant self-aggrandizement of a Chu prince.
Episode 6: The Book of Poetry and Diplomacy — What Does It Mean to Say, “I Love You”?
This episode examines the diplomatic use of the Book of Poetry, where verses of love and kinship became a coded language of statecraft. For instance, a minister from Lu quotes a wedding song to frame the relationship between small states and the powerful state of Jin as that of a bride being received by her groom. The careful gathering of artemisia by a woman becomes a metaphor for a strong state tenderly protecting a weaker one. A Zheng minister cleverly cites a poem of romantic pursuit to dissuade potential aggression, while a Jin leader reaffirms an alliance by reciting an ode celebrating brotherly bonds.
We hope you enjoy watching, and we welcome your thoughts!
Zong-qi Cai, Program Host