Textual Unit

Each item of the Wu Song Collection stands in a certain relationship to the concept of ‘textual unit’. It may constitute one such unit, with a certain name, e.g. ‘round, session’, hui, or ‘chapter’, hui. In this and other cases a certain interplay between the oral and written spheres is apparent. The focal tale may form part of a larger unit or it may occupy several units. The question of textual unit reflects on one hand habits of oral entertainment, and on the other hand reading habits vis a vis written materials. The following textual units are registered so far:

act	zhe	折
act	chu	齣
act	chu	出
collection	ji	集
day	tian	天
play	ju	劇
scroll	juan	卷
section	duanzi	段子
session	chang	場
session, chapter	hui	囘
string	chuanguan	串貫
volume	ben	本