History of Ancient Chinese Literature Research in the 20th Century (Novel Volume)

Author: Huang Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The study of ancient Chinese literature in the 20th century serves as a bridge between the past and the future, representing both a new development in tradition and a transitional phase for what was to come. This book is part of the series "Studies of Ancient Chinese Literature in the 20th Century" and focuses on the genre of fiction. It is divided into three parts: the first part introduces the years when the author studied ancient Chinese fiction, the second part classifies and explains ancient fiction, and the third part highlights several highly renowned Chinese novels for researchers to read and reference.
The study of ancient Chinese literature in the 20th century serves as a bridge between the past and the future, representing both a new development in tradition and a transitional phase for what was to come. From the 1950s to the 1970s, political intervention made certain topics in ancient literature exceptionally vibrant, such as the Dream of the Red Chamber, which remained exceptionally popular from the 1950s to the 1970s. On the other hand, to avoid the sensitivity of studying contemporary issues, some researchers often turned to ancient literature as a relatively safe haven, finding a place to settle and thrive there. It can be said that until the 1980s, the study of ancient Chinese literature was still considered a prominent field. However, by the end of the 20th century, politics seemed to have detached from literary studies, while the market economy dominated the superstructure, with utilitarianism flourishing, emphasizing materialism and practicality. As a result, humanities gradually fell into neglect.