Hu Shi Collection 8

Author: Ouyang Zhesheng (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-11-01
Features: This volume includes Hu Shi's History of National Language Literature, History of Vernacular Literature (Volume 1), and Prefaces and Postfaces. History of National Language Literature was a lecture given by Hu Shi in November and December 1921 at the Third National Language Training Institute under the Ministry of Education. In March 1922, Hu Shi revised the manuscript while delivering a lecture at Nankai University. During the summer vacation of 1922, Hu Shi taught at Nankai University using the revised manuscript from March. In December of the same year, he gave another lecture at the Fourth National Language Training Institute under the Ministry of Education, using the Nankai mimeographed version as a basis and printing a separate mimeographed copy. The History of National Language Literature published by Beijing Culture Society in April 1927 was based on the Nankai mimeographed version, with a title page inscribed by Qian Xuantong and a preface written by Li Jinxi. The appendix Fifty Years of Chinese Literature has been removed. Three new appendices have been added: The History of the National Language Movement, The National Language Movement and Literature, and An Outline. The History of National Language Literature contains numerous printing errors, and the quoted passages in the book have now been checked and corrected without additional notes. History of Vernacular Literature (Volume 1) was revised and expanded by Hu Shi based on new materials, building upon the foundation of History of National Language Literature. Prefaces and Postfaces was compiled by the editor and includes prefaces and postfaces written by Hu Shi for various publications, ranging from 1918 to 1961. The articles are roughly categorized and arranged chronologically. Among Hu Shi's prefaces and postfaces, the following three types have not been included in this collection: (1) Those already published in Collected Writings of Hu Shi, Recent Studies of Hu Shi, and other standalone works written by Hu Shi himself. (2) The prefaces and postfaces by Hu Shi on the study of the Records of the River System, as the number of such works is too large to be included due to space constraints. (3) Several prefaces written by Hu Shi after 1949 that carry a strong political tone have been excluded.