ABSTRACT
This chapter constitutes a study of Middle Persian literature in general and of Andarz literature in particular. It will begin with a summary of the extant Middle Persian literature, its nature and its variety, and follow with a detailed examination of what is arguably the most important Middle Persian literary genre: Andarz. I will adduce a few texts that contain advice regarding different aspects of spiritual as well as practical issues; and, in order to illuminate the moral and behavioural expectations of pre-Islamic Iran, I will distinguish various themes in the genre and elaborate upon each one individually. The two subsequent chapters will demonstrate further that Andarz literature provided a foundation for the post-Islamic Adab texts, thus helping to preserve earlier Iranian cultural elements during the Islamic period.
