Abstract
A prominent literary theme (topos) in the fu poetry of the Han dynasty is that of the “world turned upside-down.” The topos encompasses a variety of imagery and expressions, all of which are used to convey a similar message: that the condition of the world is inverted, no longer in its proper order, with the lowly in high places and vice versa. This paper traces the origins of the topos and its full expression in the important early-Chinese poetry anthology Chuci. Further, it speculates on a relevant context, namely, the contemporary emergence of an important political philosophy. Finally, it examines the reversal of the topos in the hands of Liu Xiang 劉向 (79–8 bc), who depicts the world restored to its proper order. Evaluating the “upsidedown” topos in terms of its historical evolution sheds light on the broader cultural significance as well as on shifting intellectual currents during the late-Warring States and Han periods.
Keywords
Han-dynasty literature, political philosophy, Xunzi 荀子, Elegies of Chu, Chuci 楚辭, Liu Xiang 劉向
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