A Century of Humanistic Essays (China Volume)

Author: Li Xianyao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Essay is a rhymless genre that is both individualistic and contemporary. This collection of essays adopts a format that combines people and literature, as well as people and events, thereby depicting the trajectory of historical changes in the Chinese nation during the 20th century and showcasing the development of the function and style of essays over the past century. Chinese culture has always upheld the Eastern tradition of harmonizing literature and art, integrating history and literature, and blending literature with reason. Therefore, the content of this century-old humanities essay is comprehensive, encompassing the composition, entirety, and panorama of Chinese civilization, including literature, drama, painting, music, philosophy, society, history, ethics, politics, economics, science, and the environment. The author has nearly included all the renowned Chinese writers, artists, thinkers, scientists, and social activists of the past century. From the essays selected in this book, one can see that in addition to writers, many painters, actors, humanities scholars, and scientific workers also write excellent articles. Since the 1980s, due to reform and opening-up, the rapid increase in newspapers and media has also promoted an unprecedented flourishing of essay writing. The fundamental function of modern essays remains storytelling, emotional expression, and reasoning. Therefore, the selection criteria for this book primarily follow the principle of "thoughtful reflection in action and elegance in meaning" as reflected in the ancient Chinese Wen Xuan. It strives to achieve a perfect unity of literary quality, intellectual depth, and knowledge. This book can be read as a history of a century of Chinese essay literature or as an epic of modern Chinese society. A Century of Humanistic Essays (China Volume) can be said to be a rare classic that helps readers improve their overall cultural literacy: it is a textbook for learning how to be a person; a collection of masterpieces by outstanding writers over a century; a painful history of the Chinese nation; a read for cultivating patriotism; a guide for learning from the best; an inspirational record of the pursuit of truth; a widely appreciated record of literary and artistic achievements; and a comprehensive reference book on humanistic knowledge.