Late Qing and Early Republic Literary Anecdotes

Author: Zheng Yimei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Zheng Yimei (1895–1992) was a renowned expert in historical anecdotes and literary affairs both in China and abroad. Since 1913, he published articles in newspapers and magazines, and even in his advanced years, he continued to write, creating a remarkable legend in the literary world. His works primarily focused on anecdotes from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, drawing from a wide range of sources and forming a grand collection, becoming invaluable materials for understanding the modern literary scene. In his early works, he often used classical Chinese, which was concise, subtle, and elegant; in his later masterpieces, he alternated between vernacular and classical Chinese, blending knowledge and entertainment seamlessly. These works, with their unique prose style and accessible yet refined tone, won praise from readers across various fields. Before his passing, Mr. Zheng had compiled over forty books. After his death, his family further organized and published several of his unfinished works. However, most of these standalone volumes were published years ago and are now difficult to find in the market. Today, Zhonghua Book Company, with the consent of Mr. Zheng's family, has selected his representative works, compiled them into the Zheng Yimei Works Collection, and will publish them in standalone volumes to delight readers. Anecdotes of the Literary World in the Late Qing and Early Republic, first published by Shanghai Xuelin Publishing House in 1987; in 1991, Heilongjiang People's Publishing House included this book in their Selected Works of Zheng Yimei (Volume 2). Now, based on the 1987 first edition of Xuelin Publishing House, it has been re-typeset and slightly revised, with additional illustrations added.
Mr. Zheng Yimei (1895–1992) was a renowned expert in historical anecdotes and literary affairs both in China and abroad. Since 1913, he published articles in newspapers and magazines, and even in his advanced years, he continued to write, creating a remarkable legend in the literary world. His works primarily focused on anecdotes from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, drawing from a wide range of sources and forming a grand collection, becoming invaluable materials for understanding the modern literary scene. In his early works, he often used classical Chinese, which was concise, subtle, and elegant; in his later masterpieces, he alternated between vernacular and classical Chinese, blending knowledge and entertainment seamlessly. These works, with their unique prose style and accessible yet refined tone, won praise from readers across various fields. Before his passing, Mr. Zheng had compiled over forty books. After his death, his family further organized and published several of his unfinished works. However, most of these standalone volumes were published years ago and are now difficult to find in the market. Today, Zhonghua Book Company, with the consent of Mr. Zheng's family, has selected his representative works, compiled them into the Zheng Yimei Works Collection, and will publish them in standalone volumes to delight readers. Anecdotes of the Literary World in the Late Qing and Early Republic, first published by Shanghai Xuelin Publishing House in 1987; in 1991, Heilongjiang People's Publishing House included this book in their Selected Works of Zheng Yimei (Volume 2). Now, based on the 1987 first edition of Xuelin Publishing House, it has been re-typeset and slightly revised, with additional illustrations added.