History of Ancient Chinese Literature Research in the 20th Century - Drama Volume

Author: Huang Lin
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not Available
Features: The study of ancient Chinese literature in the 20th century served 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 involvement on one hand led to an extraordinary surge in topics related to ancient literature research, such as the novel Dream of the Red Chamber, which remained exceptionally prominent from the 1950s all the way to the 1970s. On the other hand, to avoid the sensitivity of researching contemporary issues, some scholars often turned to ancient literature as a relatively safe haven, where they were content to establish themselves. 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 itself from literary research, while the market economy dominated the superstructure, with utilitarianism flourishing. Emphasis shifted toward material wealth and practical gains, gradually leading to the decline of humanities.