Sources of Authority

The interplay between fixed canonical texts and the fluid nature of quotable quotes is explored, highlighting how quotation influences the authority of a canon. The author posits that it is the quoter, not the original author, who shapes what becomes a classic. Focusing on the canon established by the Chinese Communist Party, the study examines how individual quoters in the "People's Daily" have impacted this canon from 1949 to the present. Through five case studies, the work reveals the dynamic relationship between quotation, innovation, and imitation in modern China.