Understanding “Slandering”: A Study of Luo Yin’s Writings of Slandering

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to study a collection of fifty-eight short essays-Writings of Slandering-written and compiled by the late Tang scholar Luo Yin. The research questions are who are slandered, why are the targets slandered, and how. The answering of the questions will primarily rely on textual studies, accompanied by an exploration of the tradition of “slandering” in the literati’s world, as well as a look at Luo Yin’s career and experience as a persistent imperial exam taker. The project will advance accordingly: In the introduction, I will examine the concept of “slandering” in terms of how the Chinese literati associate themselves with it and the implications of slandering or being slandered. Also, I will try to explain how Luo Yin fits into the picture. Chapter two will focus on the studies of the historical background of the mid-to-late Tang period and the themes of the essays. Specifically, it will spell out the individuals, the group of people, and the political and social phenomenon slandered in the essays. Then, it will analyze the significance of the targets and Luo’s sentiments towards them. Chapter three will tackle the problem of “How did Luo slander?” from two perspectives. It will discuss the great variety of the prose genres Luo adopted in the fifty-eight essays, with special attention to his efforts to model the ancient-style literary genres and make innovative adaptations. Also, I will study the literary styles and metaphors that the author took to display his erudition and writing skills. Finally, the project will conclude with the answers to the research questions raised around “slandering” and shed light on the literary status and significance of the Writings of Slandering as well as Luo Yin.