Bohlen:Die Darstellung der Remonstratio

In ancient China (circa 1200–221 BC), there was a pronounced culture of political criticism. In particular, remonstration (Chinese: jian 諫) was already an established practice at that time, through which ministers could voice objections against the governance of their rulers. Ancient Chinese anecdote collections, such as the Guoyu (Conversations from the States), seemingly promise an authentic insight into this practice of criticizing rulers. However, to what extent are the transmitted narratives historically credible, factually accurate representations of the past? Can the accounts of remonstrations preserved in the Guoyu be taken at face value? Felix Bohlen explores this question in his study. He employs modern narrative theory to examine the literary representation of remonstration in the Guoyu and to highlight its constructed nature. His study not only contributes to the understanding of ruler criticism in early China but also leads to a re-evaluation of the source value of ancient Chinese narratives.