Selected Works on Chinese Fiction Through the Ages (Revised Edition, Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Huang Lin, Han Tongwen (editors)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-09-01
Features: The selections in this book are theoretical and critical writings on fiction from various dynasties in China, intended for readers and researchers of Chinese fiction and the history of Chinese literary criticism. The book is primarily organized chronologically by the authors' eras and is divided into three parts: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The Upper Part covers the period from the Han Dynasty to the Song and Yuan Dynasties, mainly drawing from notes and miscellaneous writings, focusing on myths, legends, anecdotes, romances, and storytelling texts, representing the early stages of Chinese fiction theory and criticism. The Middle Part covers the Ming and Qing Dynasties, primarily featuring prefaces and postfaces to vernacular long novels, discussing various types of long novels and diverse theoretical issues, marking the developmental stage of Chinese fiction theory. The Lower Part covers the late Qing Dynasty to the May Fourth Movement, mainly consisting of specialized essays, addressing broader and more in-depth issues, signifying the mature stage of Chinese fiction theory. Given that Chinese fiction theory and criticism were still in its infancy before the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with limited and scattered texts, while it gradually matured afterward, becoming more abundant and comprehensive, the selection process adopted a "loose first, strict later" principle: the criteria for the early parts were relaxed, while those for the later parts were more stringent.