Selected and Commented Ming-Qing Miniatures - China Literary and Historical Classics Lectures

Author: Li Mei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: "Xiaopin" usually refers to short essays. Its main characteristics are flexible and free expression techniques, as well as simple yet profound content. The themes it covers are diverse and unconstrained, which is why some call it "free-style writing." Xiaopin, as a literary form, has existed since ancient times and takes various forms, such as classical Chinese, essays, notes, prefaces, letters, and more. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, xiaopin flourished unprecedentedly, becoming one of the representative literary genres of those eras. The selected works in this book are representative xiaopin pieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The editorial principles are as follows: First, it includes both well-known masterpieces by famous authors and some more outstanding, distinctive, yet less widely recognized works to avoid repetition compared to other selections. Second, it strives to include works by as many different authors as possible, aiming for a diverse style throughout the book. Third, it balances works from different perspectives and contents to showcase the unique expressive power of xiaopin.