Introduction to Ancient Fiction

Author: Lin Chen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: An Introduction to Ancient Chinese Fiction is divided into three parts—Origin and Development, Genre Theory, and Art Theory—providing a comprehensive and systematic account of all aspects of ancient Chinese fiction. Its characteristics—concise and easy to understand, providing a quick overview. —It explores the intrinsic laws of fiction through three main threads: highlighting the national characteristics of Chinese fiction; breaking the old model of selecting and lecturing on works within the context of political and economic background of the times. —Distinctive Three New Aspects (1) New Perspective. An Introduction to Ancient Chinese Fiction avoids abstract and vague discussions, focusing on providing examples. For instance, it introduces specific works to explain how myths evolve into fiction and how note-style fiction develops into Tang Dynasty legends? (2) New Views. For example, it argues that the Classic of Mountains and Seas is not a book of shamanism; it contends that the Journey to the West was not written by Wu Cheng'en; it proposes that "Red Studies" do not have old or new distinctions; and it explores the influence of The Golden Lotus and The Tale of Golden Clouds on Dream of the Red Chamber, with new views frequently appearing. (3) New Arguments. An Introduction to Ancient Chinese Fiction not only runs through the characteristics of national literature throughout the book but also includes a chapter titled "Special Techniques of Fiction" in the Art Theory section, dedicated to discussing "poetry and lyrics in fiction," a unique Chinese artistic technique theory of fiction.