History of Ancient Chinese Literature (II) (Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Ning, Jin)

Author: Leng Chengjin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: The content of A History of Ancient Chinese Literature (Part II) includes literature from the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties, and is suitable for students of Chinese and non-Chinese majors in distance education. It can also be used as a textbook for regular universities. This book incorporates the strengths of traditional textbooks and makes corresponding adjustments and arrangements based on current teaching practices. It has the following characteristics:
First, concise and focused. Ancient literature spans thousands of years with extremely rich content, making it difficult to grasp. Based on years of teaching experience, we select the essence and key points, providing concise discussions and compiling them into this book.
Second, rich materials and open perspectives. We select as many materials as possible, striving to let the materials speak for themselves, while also providing readers with access to the original works to enhance their intuitive understanding. Additionally, we strive to incorporate new research findings in the study of ancient Chinese literature while avoiding conservative, narrow, or biased viewpoints.
Third, comprehensive design with strong practicality. A textbook is a special type of writing that requires convenience and practicality for both teaching and learning. Based on teaching practices, we aim to introduce the history of literature in a concise yet comprehensive manner while selecting frequently appearing questions in exams. We have set up three sections: "Chapter Highlights," "Terminology Explanations," and "Discussion Questions" to help students quickly grasp key points and enter the learning state rapidly, making revision and exam preparation more convenient.
In terms of learning methods, this book guides students to do the following:
First, combine memorization and understanding to systematically grasp A History of Ancient Chinese Literature (Part II). Chinese literature is a course with distinct characteristics—it has a long time span, rich content, and a certain distance from reality, along with language barriers. For ancient literary works, it is not enough to understand the literal meaning; a certain level of appreciation is also required. This determines the learning characteristics of the course: it requires both understanding and memorization. Understanding refers to putting oneself in the historical context, imagining the thoughts and emotions of the time, the content and artistic appeal of the works, and recognizing the historical status of the authors and works; memorization refers to recalling relevant knowledge about the authors, works, etc. The two are complementary and equally important.
Second, highlight key points while covering the full scope. A History of Ancient Chinese Literature (Part II) is a significant stage in the history of Chinese literature, producing many great writers and works, making it hold an important position in Chinese literary history. These are undoubtedly the key learning points. In the "Chapter Highlights," the key points and passages that should be memorized or familiarized with are clearly marked. During the learning process, students should pay special attention to mastering these key points. Without a thorough grasp of these, it cannot be said that they have learned A History of Ancient Chinese Literature (Part II) well. However, it is also important to recognize that mastering only these key points is far from enough. On one hand, exam questions cover a very broad range, almost all the key points of the course; on the other hand, the content of Chinese literature is rich and diverse, and a comprehensive understanding is necessary to say that one has truly learned the history of literature. Therefore, highlighting key points while covering the full scope should be one of our important learning methods.
Third, develop the ability to appreciate the artistic atmosphere and style of literary works such as Tang and Song poetry. One of the important purposes of studying ancient literature is to improve our aesthetic, cultural, and personal qualities. Being able to appreciate the artistic atmosphere and style of literary works like Tang and Song poetry not only aligns with this purpose but also helps strengthen memorization and deep understanding. Only by doing this can one truly excel in ancient literature. Therefore, one must enhance their appreciation and understanding of the artistic atmosphere and style of these literary works through repeated reading, recitation, comparison, and reflection.
Fourth, pay attention to question types and answering techniques.
- Terminology Explanation Questions: This type of question requires students to explain some important terms in the course, aiming to assess their level of understanding and mastery. These terms are briefly summarized or discussed in the book. The difficulty of this type of question lies in grasping the key points, as the content is extensive and covers a wide range. When answering, students should be concise and summarize the key points clearly without elaborating excessively.
- Short Answer Questions: These questions are usually based on single, specific issues related to authors, works, schools, or theories in the course and require brief answers. Most of the questions have ready answers in the book. When answering such questions, students must focus on key points, present clear viewpoints, and summarize relevant knowledge effectively.
- Essay Questions: These questions are usually based on comprehensive issues related to authors, works, schools, or theories in the course, often focusing on artistic characteristics and their influence or status in literary history, or sometimes connecting different periods of literary history. When answering such questions, students must combine both memorization and understanding—on one hand, remembering basic materials from literary history, and on the other hand, paying attention to understanding, connecting, systematizing, and synthesizing.
Finally, it should be noted that textbooks are highly time-sensitive and must be continuously explored in line with developments to meet practical needs, especially in teaching and exam preparation. However, textbooks must also maintain their independent academic integrity and even serve as a benchmark or core. Balancing these two aspects is not easy. This textbook attempts to explore this balance, but due to its limitations, there are undoubtedly many immature aspects. We sincerely welcome feedback from experts and scholars.