Collected Texts
Assembled

These are texts which are put together out of pre-existing smaller units. Among the common species are sayings collections, which group the previously separate pronouncements of some wisdom figure, and anthologies on various scales, which may combine works of different authorship. The assembly process, like the primary integral-text composition process, is a single act. For the growth text counterpart of assemblages, see Accumulated Texts. They also include some single-author instances, where the author, not the editor, is the locus of the accumulation process.

Chinese Examples

Analects 4. This, the core module of the Analects, was itself originally a selective gathering of sixteen of Confucius's remembered sayings, which were probably collected from the separate memories of his disciples at the time of his death in 0479.

Gwandz 4. A named and presumably once separate component of Gwandz 4 is noted elsewhere as an example of an Integral text; its independence is shown by the fact that it, and nothing else in that chapter, has its own separate commentary within the Gwandz corpus. It follows that our Gwandz 4 was put together somewhat later, from this and several other originally separate items, most likely by the bibliographer Lyou Syang at the end of Han, in connection with his work in preparing the catalogue of the Palace Library.

Jou Rvn. This lost work is conjectured to have consisted of sayings attributed to the unknown figure Jou Rvn. It is quoted by name in the Analects and in several other late 04c and early 03c texts. The six existing fragments do not give grounds for supposing that the original compilation was later extended, and it ceases to be heard from after the middle 03c. If not simply a conspiracy of invention by the compilers of the texts that purport to quote it, it is a text, and if a text, most likely a sayings collection.

Shr Chun. This lost work, recovered in the 3rd century from the tomb of Lyang Syang-wang (died 0296) and subsequently lost again, apparently consisted of the Yi oracles extracted from the Dzwo Jwan (c0312). The Shr Chun itself probably dates from c0305, or not long after the Dzwo Jwan itself, which had been first presented to the Chi ruler, had become known in central Ngwei. It evidently had a technical and analytical intent, and based itself on the body of earliest references to the use of the Yi in practical divination. That thought has also motivated several modern scholarly articles, some of which also include the Yi oracles in Gwo Yw as relevant material.

Yw Tsung. These four Gwodyen compilations of short sayings or statements are valuable early 03c specimens of the assembled text type. Sources for the material appear to be numerous; a few of them are known. There is one Analects saying, and (in a different series) also one saying which in slightly different form was later included in the Analects.

Lyedz. Our text, put together around the year 300, began as a culling of nearly every mention of the Dauist master Lyedz from classical and Han literature; the result of that culling process is properly classified as an Assembled text. That assembled text was then supplemented by new material.

Other Examples

Anthologia. This word in Greek means "garland." Meleager of Gadara first used it for a collection of poems (made about 080) by himself and several other Greek poerts, including Archilochus, Alcaeus, Anacreon, and Simonides. The title has also been used by many later compilers, and now has a generic sense.

Recital Programs are temporary assemblages of pre-existing music. Studying recital programs over a period of time is one way to detect changes in professional and public taste.

 

Philology is Copyright © 2001- by E Bruce Brooks

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