A Comprehensive History of Shanghai Literature (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Qiu Mingzheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: A few years ago, we prepared to write this Comprehensive History of Shanghai Literature. After extensively collecting materials, careful writing, multiple discussions, and several revisions, we have finally completed it! Shanghai literature has its own characteristics and a glorious yet history. In a specific sense, Shanghai literature, especially modern and contemporary literature, can be considered a microcosm of Chinese literature. In the past, the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences had published History of Modern Shanghai Literature, edited by Chen Bohai and Yuan Jin, and History of Modern Shanghai Literature, edited by Wang Wenyin. Due to deepened understanding and the vast scope for rewriting, there has been room for a new approach. As for contemporary Shanghai literature, although numerous thematic studies and critiques of Shanghai writers and works have been published in newspapers and journals, there has yet to be a History of Contemporary Shanghai Literature. And when it comes to ancient Shanghai literature, even fewer people have paid attention to it, let alone whether there was ancient literature in Shanghai and whether it could be considered a "history."
Any literature of a country, nation, or region has its own process of emergence, development, and evolution, with its own characteristics and trajectory. It does not suddenly burst into existence or disappear in a particular period, and Shanghai literature is no exception. The flourishing of modern and contemporary Shanghai literature is a continuation, transformation, and development of ancient Shanghai literature, while contemporary Shanghai literature is, in turn, a continuation and development of modern and contemporary Shanghai literature. Through extensive research and careful analysis, we discovered that ancient Shanghai not only had literature but also a rich and distinctive tradition, though it had been overlooked or forgotten! As for contemporary Shanghai literature, it is even more diverse and holds a significant position in Chinese literature, having traversed a tortuous and winding path.
For modern and modern Shanghai literature, we also made new discoveries and presented new arguments. Therefore, we decided to write a Comprehensive History of Shanghai Literature to systematically trace the emergence and development of Shanghai literature from ancient to contemporary times, explore the reasons behind its development, grasp its characteristics in different periods, and examine its position and role in Chinese literature, as well as its overall features. The purpose is to study the laws of literary development, literary creation, literary criticism, and the transformation of literary mechanisms, summarize experiences and lessons, and provide a historical mirror for the prosperity and development of literature in the new century and the deepening of literary research.
The historical development of Shanghai literature is synchronized with the development of Chinese society, culture, and literature, as well as the growth of the city of Shanghai. Therefore, this Comprehensive History of Shanghai Literature is divided into four parts—History of Ancient Shanghai Literature, History of Modern Shanghai Literature, History of Modern Shanghai Literature, and History of Contemporary Shanghai Literature, following tradition. Experts specializing in the history of Chinese literature and Shanghai literature from the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Department of Shanghai University, the Chinese Department of Shanghai Normal University, and the Chinese Departments of Fudan University and Nanjing University were invited to contribute to this book.
History of Ancient Shanghai Literature was written by Xia Xianchun and Sun Qian'an, senior researchers at the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. They devoted great effort to uncovering original materials, discussing important writers and works, and systematically tracing the development of ancient Shanghai literature. It is the first History of Ancient Shanghai Literature to date.
History of Modern Shanghai Literature was written by Yuan Jin, a professor at the Chinese Department of Shanghai University. He is a renowned scholar in the study of modern Chinese literature and has edited History of Modern Shanghai Literature. In this individual effort, he has re-examined and re-discussed modern Shanghai literature, showing that his work has surpassed his previous research.
History of Modern Shanghai Literature was written by Wang Wenyin, a researcher at the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, with contributions from Professor Zhu Shoutong of the Chinese Department of Nanjing University and Meng Jinrong, a promising scholar at the Chinese Department of Fudan University. Wang Wenyin is an expert in the study of modern Chinese literature and has previously edited History of Modern Shanghai Literature. In this new version, she has provided fresh insights that surpass her earlier work.
History of Contemporary Shanghai Literature was written by Yang Jianlong, a professor at the Chinese Department of Shanghai University, and Dai Yi, a researcher at the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Both are experts in the study of contemporary Chinese literature. Their systematic review of the development of contemporary Shanghai literature, particularly their analysis of important writers and works, demonstrates their academic prowess.
Professor Qiu Mingzheng of the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences was responsible for the overall planning, drafting of the outline, and compilation and finalization of the book, as well as writing the preface and postscript. During the process of establishing, writing, and publishing this book, we received support and guidance from the Shanghai Municipal Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Office and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. We are also grateful to Professor Li Zhensheng of the Chinese Department of Fudan University, as well as many colleagues from the Literature Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, including Wang Zhousheng and Huang Jiangping, for their assistance. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Fudan University Press for their strong support and to many friends in the Shanghai literary criticism circle for their warm care.