Part II - Exotic Objects in the Mainstream

Summary

THIS SECTION FOCUSES on two imports which began ascourtly luxuries but were fully assimilated intoChinese popular culture as objects of pleasure, andremain there to the present day. One chapterexplores the process of transforming a Persianimport, the pomegranate, into a Chinese culturalstaple by examining nine rhapsodies written duringthe Wei-Jin times and later reflections upon thefruit, in which it appears that the Chinesecollectively accepted its exotic features butstrongly denied its foreign origin. The next chaptertraces the linguistic and cultural origins of thetrained macaque, imported from India, throughtextual analysis and intellectual history of thefive rhapsodies on the monkeys. Here we see howChinese elites welcomed the animal and its uniqueability for mimicry as exotic entertainment, whileat the same time filtering out its foreign religioussignificance.