Beschreibung:
<p>Robert Joe Cutter, in his engaging new book, has explored Chinese literary references to the sport of cockfighting from the Chou dynasty to modern times. He discovers in these writings, which include examples from nearly every genre, reference to all aspects of the sport-its special terminology, its roles in social intercourse, its status at various periods, etc.-as well as an occasion to discuss developments in traditional Chinese literature and to display his own considerable skills as a translator. It is a true tour-de-force. But, given the agonistic nature of Cutter's subject, the book should not be allowed to go untested. A ninth-century fu poem on the cockfight, missed by Cutter, is presented here as a pretext to explore aspects of his work.</p>