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Read more about Chinese Rhetoric and Writing: An Introduction for Language Teachers

Chinese Rhetoric and Writing: An Introduction for Language Teachers

(6 reviews)

Andy Kirkpatrick, Griffith University

Zhichang Xu, Monash University

Copyright Year: 2012

ISBN 13: 9781602353022

Publisher: WAC Clearinghouse

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of Use

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND

Reviews

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Reviewed by Evelyn Ming Whai Shih, Assistant Professor, CU Boulder on 7/1/19

This text lacks an effective glossary, and would do well to include an appendix with original language quotations, since this is largely absent within the text. This is a work about rhetoric in Chinese, with some comparison with other traditions... read more

Reviewed by Rachana Son, English/Writing Faculty, Linn-Benton Community College on 3/4/19

The text itself is incredibly comprehensive in outlining the history, qualities, and changes in Chinese rhetoric. The authors provide sufficient supporting evidence and examples to address each subject. However, the textbook would benefit in... read more

Reviewed by Gigi Taylor, Senior English Language Specialist, UNC Chapel Hill Writing Center on 6/19/18

This volume offers a detailed description of rhetoric and writing instruction in historical and contemporary China. It covers history, major rhetorical forms, linguistic and cultural influences on rhetorical organization, sociopolitical... read more

Reviewed by Melissa Siebke, Professor of Spanish, French, and English, Riverland Community College on 6/20/17

The text introduces background material essential to understanding the aim of the book and then thoroughly covers what one must know in order to comprehend Chinese rhetoric and writing. read more

Reviewed by Pei-ni Causarano, Instructor, University of Mary Washington on 6/20/17

This books provides profound knowledge to understand the development of writing system in the Chinese language. The chapters not only systematically link the evolution of the Chinese rhetoric, but covers all aspects of the Chinese writing system. read more

Reviewed by Nia Sottile, Instructor, Colorado State University on 12/5/16

This textbook provides an intricate view into the history and tradition of rhetorical Chinese writing. It begins with the history of ancient Chinese rhetoric and ends with a review of contemporary Chinese university writing. This textbook would be... read more

Table of Contents

  • Front Matter
  • Introduction
  • 1 Rhetoric in Ancient China
  • 2 The Literary Background And Rhetorical Styles
  • 3 The Rules of Writing in Medieval China and Europe
  • 4 The Ba Gu Wen
  • 5 Shuyuan and Chinese Writing Training and Practice
  • 6 Principles of Sequencing and Rhetorical Organisation: Words, Sentences and Complex Clauses
  • 7 Principles of Sequencing and Rhetorical Organisation: Discourse and Text
  • 8 The End of Empire and External Influences
  • 9 Party Politics, the Cultural Revolution and Charter 08
  • 10 A Review of Contemporary Chinese University Writing (Course) Books
  • Conclusion
  • Works Cited
  • Notes

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About the Book

The authors of Chinese Rhetoric and Writing offer a response to the argument that Chinese students' academic writing in English is influenced by "culturally nuanced rhetorical baggage that is uniquely Chinese and hard to eradicate." Noting that this argument draws from "an essentially monolingual and Anglo-centric view of writing," they point out that the rapid growth in the use of English worldwide calls for "a radical reassessment of what English is in today's world." The result is a book that provides teachers of writing, and in particular those involved in the teaching of English academic writing to Chinese students, an introduction to key stages in the development of Chinese rhetoric, a wide-ranging field with a history of several thousand years. Understanding this important rhetorical tradition provides a strong foundation for assessing and responding to the writing of this growing group of students.

About the Contributors

Authors

Andy Kirkpatrick is Professor and Head, School of Languages and Linguistics, at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Directly prior to that he was Director of the Research Centre into Language Education and Acquistion in Multilingual Societies at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. He is the author of English as a Lingua Franca in ASEAN: A Multilingual Model (Hong Kong University Press, 2010) and the editor of the Routledge Handbook of World Englishes (2010). He is editor of the journal Multilingual Education and of the book series of the same name (both with Springer).

Zhichang Xu is a lecturer in English as an International Language (EIL) at Monash University, Australia. His research areas include Chinese English (as an emerging Expanding Circle variety of English), English language teaching (ELT), intercultural education, blended teaching and learning, academic writing, and Chinese studies. He is the author of Chinese English: Features and Implications (Hong Kong Open University Press, 2010), and the lead author of Academic Writing in Language and Education Programmes (Pearson, 2011).

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