Anthony Wood (Brigham Young University - Provo)
anth@****.com (Log-in to reveal)
This session addresses a critical yet often overlooked aspect of PAMLA: Premodern Literature in East Asia. By bringing together scholars specializing in the core civilizations of traditional East Asia—along with those deeply influenced by Confucian societal values—this panel fosters cross-disciplinary dialogue on the transmission and transformation of literary works, genres, theory, topoi, images, and narratives throughout the region before the 19th century. We aim to underscore the interconnectedness of East Asian literary traditions and emphasize the profound impact of the region’s material and intellectual heritage on shaping and inspiring contemporary cultural landscapes.
The 19th-century encounter with the West has undeniably reshaped East Asian society and opened a significant field of research. However, as David Damrosch and others have asserted contemporary scholarship often overemphasizes the modern at the expense of the complexities and significance of the✉✉premodern era. This tendency is particularly pronounced in East Asian literary studies, where research has increasingly shifted from classical literature toward modern works and often to more accessible popular media. This session seeks to redress this imbalance. We invite scholars to explore various aspects of premodern literature in East Asia—covering the classical works of the core civilizations of traditional East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea, as well as regions profoundly influenced by Confucian societal values, such as Vietnam and Mongolia. The topics include but are not limited to the critical analysis of individual works, the evolution of literary genres, and the transmission of literary theory, topoi, images, and narratives. For example, scholars of Edo or Choson fiction may find connections to the Chinese huaben or notice the ways Chinese poetry influenced the literary developments in medieval Japan, Vietnam, or late-Choson Korea. This cross-pollination of perspectives promises to illuminate the rich tapestry of premodern East Asian literature. This session contributes to PAMLA in three ways. It brings scholarly attention to the premodern period in East Asia, an essential yet often marginalized aspect of the conference. Moreover, it provides a platform for scholars to move beyond the hyper-specialization of national literary traditions to explore the broader East Asian literary landscape. This fosters regional conversations within Asia studies and encourages collaboration between the “Ancient Languages and Literatures” and “Asian Studies” caucuses. Finally, this session promotes diverse methodological approaches, welcoming contributions that engage with traditional literary theory, reception studies, and comparative analysis, aiming to enhance our understanding of ancient literature and its influence on modern literature.