A Hundred Years, A Hundred Varieties: Under the Eaves of Shanghai

Author: Xia Yan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-07-01
Features: The selection of "100 Outstanding Chinese Literary Books of the Century" was a grand event in China's literary and publishing circles in 1999. The initiators and organizers were the People's Literature Publishing House and Beijing Book Building. The concept of the selection was astute and ambitious, leveraging the trend effectively. The selection process ensured complete openness to eliminate behind-the-scenes manipulation, with journalists overseeing the votes in multiple rounds of selection, demonstrating rigorous and impeccable procedures. The composition of the judging committee adhered to the principles of academic authority, breadth, and representation, achieving a harmonious yet diverse consensus. The selection criteria primarily focused on healthy ideology and artistic excellence, while also considering the pioneering value, representative status, and influence of the works. The judges approached 20th-century Chinese literature with a historical, developmental, and holistic perspective, collectively reflecting on the vicissitudes of Chinese society over a century and rereading the masterpieces of Chinese literature. With reason and passion, they polished each literary milestone. The 100 selected outstanding books covered a wide range of historical periods from the beginning of the century to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, spanning a century of significant historical moments. They were precise, rich, comprehensive, systematic, and credible, gaining widespread recognition and earning the reputation of "a century-long feast of Chinese literature."