Andrew Henry Plaks (Chinese: 浦安迪; pinyin: Pǔ Āndí; born 1945) is an American sinologist who specializes in the study of the vernacular fiction of the Ming and Qing dynasties. From 1973 to 2007, he taught at Princeton University, becoming full professor in 1980. He moved to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2007, where he became Professor of East Asian Studies.[1]
In 1968, he married Livia Basch (1947–2013), and they had two sons, Jason and Eric.[2]
Plaks studied as an undergraduate in the Department of Oriental Studies at Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude with an A.B. in 1967. He stayed on at Princeton University for graduate study in East Asian Studies. He obtained his Ph.D. in 1973 with a dissertation on Archetype and allegory in the Hung-Lou Meng. He was subsequently offered a position in the Department of East Asian Studies at Princeton University, becoming an associate professor in 1976, and a full professor in 1980. In 2007, he retired from Princeton University, and moved to Israel to take up a position at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he became Professor of East Asian Studies.[1]
Contributions to the fieldedit
Plaks' 1987 book Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel, which won the Joseph Levenson Book Prize, is an analysis of a group of Ming dynasty novels which Plaks argues changed the genre: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Jin Ping Mei, and Journey to the West. Ellen Widmer, writing in the Journal of Asian Studies, says that the book creates "a far-reaching hypothesis about the consolidation of the novel form in China", namely, that the four novels can be taken as a milestone.[3] He identifies a "figural density" and establishes that the key to understanding the novels is the use of irony, by which he means "every possible disjunction between what is said and what is meant". According to Plaks the novels ask serious questions about sexuality, selfhood, heroism, power, reality, and they offer serious Neo-Confucian answers.[3]
Another literary scholar, Paul Ropp, says that Plaks pays special attention to the 16th century editors, authors, and commentators who played different roles than those in earlier times. He also points out structural differences, such as their "paradigmatic length of one-hundred chapters [with one exception], narrative rhythms based on division into ten-chapter units, further subdivisions into building blocks of three- or four chapter episodes, contrived symmetries between the first and second halves of the texts, special exploitation of opening and closing sections, as well as certain other schemes of spatial and temporal ordering, notably the plotting of events on seasonal or geographical grids".[4] Ropp says that although not everybody may agree with all of Plaks' ideas, he has pioneered the sophisticated criticism of the traditional Chinese novel, and his emphasis on the use of irony in the novels is especially important.[4]
In 2018, the first volume of Dream of the Red Chamber, covering chapters 1-27, was published in Hebrew, translated jointly by Plaks and Amira Katz. This is the first translation of the novel into the Hebrew language.[5]
Bibliographyedit
Plaks, Andrew H. (1976). Archetype and Allegory in the Dream of the Red Chamber. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN0691046166. [6]
—; DeWoskin, Kenneth J. (1977). Chinese Narrative : Critical and Theoretical Essays. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN0691063281.
— (1978). "Full-Length Hsiao-Shuo and the Western Novel: A Generic Reappraisal" (PDF). New Asia Academic Bulletin. 1: 163–176.
— (1980). "Shui-Hu Chuan and the Sixteenth-Century Novel Form: An Interpretive Reappraisal". Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews. 2 (1): 3–53. doi:10.2307/495478. JSTOR 495478.
— (1985). "After the Fall: Hsing-Shih Yin-Yüan Chuan and the Seventeenth-Century Chinese Novel". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 45 (2): 543–580. doi:10.2307/2718972. JSTOR 2718972.
— (1987). The Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel: Ssu Ta Ch'i-Shu. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN0691067082.
— (1993). 明代小說四大奇书 (Ming Dai Xiao Shuo Si Da Qi Shu). Translated by 沈亨寿 (Shen Hengshou). Beijing Shi: Zhongguo he ping. ISBN7800372618. (translation of The Four Masterworks)
—; Peterson, Willard J.; Yu, Yingshi; Ch'en, Ta-tuan; Mote, Frederick W., eds. (1994). The Power of Culture : Studies in Chinese Cultural History. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. ISBN9622015964.
— (2006), Moretti, Franco (ed.), The Novel in Pre-Modern China, Princeton: Princeton University Press
— (2003). 紅樓夢批語偏全 (Hong Lou Meng Pi Yu Pian Quan). Beijing: Beijing da xue chu ban she. ISBN7301059132.
Zisi (2004). דרך האמצע וקיומה [The Doctrine of the Mean]. Translated by Plaks, Andrew H.; Eber, Irene. Bialik Institute.
Zengzi. תורת הגדול [Great Learning] (in Hebrew). Translated by Andrew Plaks. Bialik Institute.
Plaks, Andrew (2007). "Leaving the Garden: Reflections on China's Literary Masterwork". New Left Review. 47.
Cao Xueqin (2018). חלום המשכנות האדומים [Dream of the Red Chamber] (in Hebrew). Vol. 1. Translated by Andrew Plaks; Amira Katz. Bialik Institute.
Cao Xueqin (2021). חלום המשכנות האדומים [Dream of the Red Chamber] (in Hebrew). Vol. 2. Translated by Andrew Plaks; Amira Katz. Bialik Institute.
Referencesedit
^ ab. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Archived from the original on 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2014-12-05.
^"Obituaries 2/13/13". Town Topics. February 13, 2013. Retrieved 2014-12-05.
^ abWidmer, Ellen (1988). "Review". The Journal of Asian Studies. 47 (4): 869–871. doi:10.2307/2057883. JSTOR 2057883.
^ abRopp, Paul S. (1990), "The Distinctive Art of Chinese Fiction", in Ropp, Paul (ed.), The Heritage of China: Contemporary Perspectives, Berkeley: University of California Press, p. 326, ISBN0-520-06441-0
^Cao, Xueqin (2018). Dream of the Red Chamber. Israel: Bialik Publishing.
^Pollard, David (1977). "Review". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 40 (2): 420–421. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00044487. S2CID 161979606.
Andrew Plaks 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
December 30, 2023
andrew, plaks, andrew, henry, plaks, chinese, 浦安迪, pinyin, Āndí, born, 1945, american, sinologist, specializes, study, vernacular, fiction, ming, qing, dynasties, from, 1973, 2007, taught, princeton, university, becoming, full, professor, 1980, moved, hebrew, . Andrew Henry Plaks Chinese 浦安迪 pinyin Pǔ Andi born 1945 is an American sinologist who specializes in the study of the vernacular fiction of the Ming and Qing dynasties From 1973 to 2007 he taught at Princeton University becoming full professor in 1980 He moved to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2007 where he became Professor of East Asian Studies 1 In 1968 he married Livia Basch 1947 2013 and they had two sons Jason and Eric 2 Contents 1 Academic career 2 Contributions to the field 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksAcademic career editPlaks studied as an undergraduate in the Department of Oriental Studies at Princeton University graduating summa cum laude with an A B in 1967 He stayed on at Princeton University for graduate study in East Asian Studies He obtained his Ph D in 1973 with a dissertation on Archetype and allegory in the Hung Lou Meng He was subsequently offered a position in the Department of East Asian Studies at Princeton University becoming an associate professor in 1976 and a full professor in 1980 In 2007 he retired from Princeton University and moved to Israel to take up a position at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he became Professor of East Asian Studies 1 Contributions to the field editPlaks 1987 book Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel which won the Joseph Levenson Book Prize is an analysis of a group of Ming dynasty novels which Plaks argues changed the genre Romance of the Three Kingdoms Water Margin Jin Ping Mei and Journey to the West Ellen Widmer writing in the Journal of Asian Studies says that the book creates a far reaching hypothesis about the consolidation of the novel form in China namely that the four novels can be taken as a milestone 3 He identifies a figural density and establishes that the key to understanding the novels is the use of irony by which he means every possible disjunction between what is said and what is meant According to Plaks the novels ask serious questions about sexuality selfhood heroism power reality and they offer serious Neo Confucian answers 3 Another literary scholar Paul Ropp says that Plaks pays special attention to the 16th century editors authors and commentators who played different roles than those in earlier times He also points out structural differences such as their paradigmatic length of one hundred chapters with one exception narrative rhythms based on division into ten chapter units further subdivisions into building blocks of three or four chapter episodes contrived symmetries between the first and second halves of the texts special exploitation of opening and closing sections as well as certain other schemes of spatial and temporal ordering notably the plotting of events on seasonal or geographical grids 4 Ropp says that although not everybody may agree with all of Plaks ideas he has pioneered the sophisticated criticism of the traditional Chinese novel and his emphasis on the use of irony in the novels is especially important 4 In 2018 the first volume of Dream of the Red Chamber covering chapters 1 27 was published in Hebrew translated jointly by Plaks and Amira Katz This is the first translation of the novel into the Hebrew language 5 Bibliography editPlaks Andrew H 1976 Archetype and Allegory in the Dream of the Red Chamber Princeton N J Princeton University Press ISBN 0691046166 6 DeWoskin Kenneth J 1977 Chinese Narrative Critical and Theoretical Essays Princeton N J Princeton University Press ISBN 0691063281 1978 Full Length Hsiao Shuo and the Western Novel A Generic Reappraisal PDF New Asia Academic Bulletin 1 163 176 1980 Shui Hu Chuan and the Sixteenth Century Novel Form An Interpretive Reappraisal Chinese Literature Essays Articles Reviews 2 1 3 53 doi 10 2307 495478 JSTOR 495478 1985 After the Fall Hsing Shih Yin Yuan Chuan and the Seventeenth Century Chinese Novel Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 45 2 543 580 doi 10 2307 2718972 JSTOR 2718972 1987 The Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel Ssu Ta Ch i Shu Princeton N J Princeton University Press ISBN 0691067082 1993 明代小說四大奇书 Ming Dai Xiao Shuo Si Da Qi Shu Translated by 沈亨寿 Shen Hengshou Beijing Shi Zhongguo he ping ISBN 7800372618 translation of The Four Masterworks Peterson Willard J Yu Yingshi Ch en Ta tuan Mote Frederick W eds 1994 The Power of Culture Studies in Chinese Cultural History Hong Kong Chinese University Press ISBN 9622015964 2006 Moretti Franco ed The Novel in Pre Modern China Princeton Princeton University Press 2003 紅樓夢批語偏全 Hong Lou Meng Pi Yu Pian Quan Beijing Beijing da xue chu ban she ISBN 7301059132 Zisi 2004 דרך האמצע וקיומה The Doctrine of the Mean Translated by Plaks Andrew H Eber Irene Bialik Institute Zengzi תורת הגדול Great Learning in Hebrew Translated by Andrew Plaks Bialik Institute Plaks Andrew 2007 Leaving the Garden Reflections on China s Literary Masterwork New Left Review 47 Cao Xueqin 2018 חלום המשכנות האדומים Dream of the Red Chamber in Hebrew Vol 1 Translated by Andrew Plaks Amira Katz Bialik Institute Cao Xueqin 2021 חלום המשכנות האדומים Dream of the Red Chamber in Hebrew Vol 2 Translated by Andrew Plaks Amira Katz Bialik Institute References edit a b Andrew H Plaks The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Archived from the original on 2014 12 10 Retrieved 2014 12 05 Obituaries 2 13 13 Town Topics February 13 2013 Retrieved 2014 12 05 a b Widmer Ellen 1988 Review The Journal of Asian Studies 47 4 869 871 doi 10 2307 2057883 JSTOR 2057883 a b Ropp Paul S 1990 The Distinctive Art of Chinese Fiction in Ropp Paul ed The Heritage of China Contemporary Perspectives Berkeley University of California Press p 326 ISBN 0 520 06441 0 Cao Xueqin 2018 Dream of the Red Chamber Israel Bialik Publishing Pollard David 1977 Review Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 40 2 420 421 doi 10 1017 S0041977X00044487 S2CID 161979606 External links edit nbsp China portal nbsp Novels portalAndrew Plaks Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrew H Plaks amp oldid 1146970883, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
