Readings in 20th Century Chinese Prose (Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau)

Author: Yuan Yonglin, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Modern Chinese prose, which broke out from the classical Chinese literature and rapidly grew into the most dazzling category in new literature since the May Fourth Movement. It has experienced ups and downs, fluctuations, and has continued to this day. The prose of writers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas Chinese communities, no matter how much they have been nurtured by the tropical winds and rain, no matter how different the content they write from the mainland of China, ultimately extends the long-standing tradition of classical Chinese literature and the spiritual lineage of the May Fourth Movement in Chinese new literature. — Lou Zhao Ming, A Reader of 20th-Century Chinese Prose
The collection is divided into three volumes. The Modern Volume selects representative works of prose masters such as Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Bing Xin, and Zhu Ziqing before 1949. The Contemporary Volume focuses on selecting representative works of prose masters from the mainland of China since 1949, such as Yang Shuo, Deng Tuo, Yu Qiuyu, and Shi Tiesheng. The Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau Volume selects representative works of prose masters from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau since 1949, such as Yu Guangzhong, Zhang Xiaofeng, Dong Qiao, and Xiao Si. All works are arranged in chronological order based on their writing or publication dates.
Each volume includes an Introduction, which outlines the overall style and developmental trajectory of prose in different stages and regions. Following each selected piece is an Analysis, which provides a detailed examination of the stylistic features and linguistic styles of writers from different schools and genres. The three volumes are relatively independent yet collectively form a colorful and vibrant panorama of 20th-century Chinese prose.