Volume 4,Issue 9
“The Reed” and “The Oak and the Reed” Cross-Cultural Teaching Practice
A comparative intertextual study of “The Book of Songs·The Reed” and La Fontaine's “The Oak and the Reed” can reveal how the cross-cultural theme of “flexibility” is constructed differently in Eastern and Western poetics. By comparing imagery systems, ethical positions, and worldviews, it is evident that the Eastern idea of “persistence in resilience” is rooted in the metaphysical wisdom of harmony between humans and nature, aiming at inward transcendence, while the Western notion of “adaptability in flexibility” blends moral pragmatism with technical rationality, emphasising outward adaptation. Both share the principle of “overcoming rigidity with softness”, forming complementary cognitive schemas. On this basis, this paper proposes a “cross-cultural dialogue” teaching model, turning intertextuality theory into a practical cultural comparison tool for middle school students; using text juxtaposition, role play, and creative transfer, it encourages students to identify cultural roots through differences and develop critical cultural awareness through dialogue, providing a localised approach to global ethics education.
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