©Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews 30 (2008) Apocrypha in Early Medieval Chinese Literature Zongli Lu Hong Kong University of Science and Technology A composition of a literary mind should be in conformity with the Way, modeled after the sages, formed upon the Classics, consulting with apocrypha at discretion, and refined on the sao 騷 style. Liu XieȂs 劉勰(c. 465-c. 522) introduction to the Wenxin diaolong, Chapter 50 An established view among students of early medieval China is that the mainstream cultural and intellectual discourses during that period centered around the rise and dominance of Buddhism and Taoism, and the popularity and meaning of Metaphysical Learning and Pure Discourse. Apocryphal learning, a prevalent religious and intellectual trend prior to the early medieval era is regarded as no longer significant, partly due to repeated bans by political authorities, and partly due to the shift of interest among intellectuals. Liu XieȂs well-known criticism against apocrypha regards apocryphal texts inherited from the Han and Three Kingdoms periods as having no positive value whatsoever in canonical studies. 1 On the other hand, Liu realizes: Stories and allusions cited from apocrypha, such as the legendary origins of Fuxi 伏 羲, Shennong 神䖆, Yellow Emperor, and Taihao ໾皞, outlines of [mysterious] mountains, waters and musical temperaments, and auspicious symbols and signs of white fish, red bird, yellow silver, and purple jade, are rich and marvelous in narrative, flowery and magnificent in rhetoric. Though they might not be profitable for canonical study, these elements would be constructive for literary writings. This is the reason why poets and rhapsodists of later generations seek and draw on beautification and magnificent expressions [from apocrypha] in their compositions. 2 *This essay is an abridged English version of ȃChenwei yu Wei-Jin Nanchao wenxueȄ讖緯㟛魏 晉南朝文學, in the Han-Wei-Liuchao wenxue yu zongjiao 漢魏朝文學㟛宗教, Ge Xiaoyin 葛曉音 (ed.) (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 2005), pp. 136-194. 1 Wang Liqi 王利器(1912-1998), Wenxin diaolong jiaozheng 文心雕龍校證(Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1980), pp. 21-22. 2 Ibid.