Chinese literature has a long, distinctive history and has played an important part in shaping the cultural identity of the Chinese people. This literature provides a window into human relationships, society, politics, spirituality and philosophy at any given time in China's history. This accessible, illustrated introduction takes the reader through the rich Chinese literary tradition from ancient times to the twentieth century, exploring poetry, opera, drama, novels, short stories, the modern media and the authors who created these cultural treasures.

Foreword	p. 1
Ancient Chinese Literature
The Book of Songs: The Earliest Anthology of Poetry	p. 7
"Folk Songs of Fifteen Regions" (Guofeng)	p. 9
The Epic of the Western Zhou People	p. 12
Prose Writings of Various Schools of Thought during the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Period	p. 17
Tao Te Ching	p. 19
The Analects	p. 23
Mencius	p. 29
Zhuangzi	p. 33
Qu Yuan: A Romantic Lyricist	p. 41
Qu Yuan	p. 42
The Lament on Encountering Sorrows	p. 45
Records of the Historian: The First and Last Work by Historians, Li Sao without Rhyme	p. 53
Pre-Qin Historical Books	p. 54
About Records of the Historian	p. 56
Characterization in Records of the Historian	p. 59
History and Literature	p. 64
Literature in the Wei and Jin Period: Jian'an Literature and Tao Yuanming	p. 69
Li Bai and Du Fu: the Two Summits of Tang Poetry	p. 79
Li Bai-A Romantic Genius	p. 80
Su Fu-A Compassionate Sage	p. 89
Ci Poetry: Poems that can be Sung	p. 101
Su Shi	p. 105
Li Qingzhao	p. 112
Xin Qiji	p. 116
Two Outstanding Playwrights of Yuan Opera	p. 121
Guan Hanqing	p. 122
Wang Shifu	p. 127
Classical Fiction in the Ming Dynasty	p. 135
Romance of the Three Kingdoms	p. 138
Outlaws of the Marsh	p. 141
Journey to the West	p. 145
Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: Short Stories of the Qing Dynasty	p. 151
A Dream of Red Mansions: The Pinnacle of Classical Literature	p. 161
Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature
LuXun: Founder of New Vernacular Literature	p. 177
The Transformation of Literature	p. 178
Lu Xun	p. 182
Modern Fiction: Echo of the Times	p. 187
Mao Dun and Modern Fiction	p. 188
Ba Jin and His "Torrent Trilogy"	p. 191
Lao She and "Beijing Style" Citizen Fiction	p. 194
"Beijing School" and "Shanghai School"	p. 197
New Poetry: Finding a Voice of their Own	p. 203
Guo Moruo: A Destroyer and a Creator	p. 206
Ai Qing: A Singer of the Land and the Sun	p. 208
Mu Dan: Richness vs. Rich Suffering	p. 210
Modern Drama	p. 213
Literature in the New Era: Reflections, Root-Seeking and Explorations	p. 223
Memories of Historical Wounds	p. 224
Root-Seeking and Countryside Literature	p. 228
Avantgarde Novels	p. 231
Neo-Realism	p. 233
New Poetry	p. 235
Contemporary Literature: Writing for the Public	p. 239
New Historical Novels: Voices of Individuality	p. 240
Cultural Prose: A New Literary Style	p. 242
Youth Writing: Keeping Abreast with Fashion	p. 246
Film-Television Literature and Cyber-Literature	p. 248
Appendix: Chronological Table of the Chinese Dynasties	p. 252
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