Dream of the Red Chamber (2 Volumes)

Author: Liu Xie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Introduction
"The Art of Rhetoric" is a monumental work in the history of Chinese literary criticism, systematically discussing a series of major issues such as the origins of literature, literary genres, creative thinking, style, rhetoric, appreciation, the moral character of writers, and the social changes in literary language. Liu Xie's literary philosophy is primarily Confucian, but also incorporates elements of Taoist and Buddhist thought. His critiques of people and works are insightful, pioneering a new era in the history of Chinese literary criticism and exerting a profound influence on later generations. The style of the work is robust and poetic. The English translation is based on Zhou Zhenfu's "The Art of Rhetoric: Modern Translation," with extensive reference to newly published annotations and modern Chinese translations. The translation remains faithful to the original text, accurate and fluent, reflecting the translator's deep understanding of the original work and mastery of the English language.