THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS involved cross-disciplinarymethod and cross-cultural investigation. Thecross-disciplinary method employed philosophy,religion, linguistics, and anthropology to advancean innovative history of Chinese literature. Thecross-cultural investigation employed references toGreek, German, Persian, and Indian materials toexamine Chinese historiographic and literarydocuments on exotica.

Each of the examples studied in this book—rosemary, theagate bridle, the pomegranate, the monkey, thepeacock, and the lotus—conveys a culturally diverse,yet politically Sino-centric China. During the thirdcentury, when China was experiencing politicalturmoil and cultural crisis, the timely arrivals ofthese exotica inspired Chinese elites to think ofthemselves differently, politically and culturally.The result of their thinking inspired by thesecross-cultural encounters is profound, asdemonstrated in their writing: some new images werecreated, old images were re-created, new ideas wereadopted, and some old ideas were rejuvenated. Theaction and reaction of the thirdcentury Chineseelites towards foreign goods and ideas and towardstheir own culture and tradition have something toteach us.

Choosing Beauty, Goodness, and Truth

Ancient Chinese elites welcomed foreign objectsselectively and judiciously. Instead of acceptingthe objects and their “cultural baggage” in theirentirety, they carefully selected meanings,associations, and applications for each object. Onestory recorded by Zhang Hua 張華 (232–300), a poet,scholar, and official, in Bowuzhi 博物誌 might help us understand thisselection procedure: