History of Chinese Literature (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Yuan Shishuo, Zhang Keli
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-11-01
Features: This book, edited by Yuan Shishuo and Zhang Keli of Shandong University, was compiled over three years and has the following characteristics:
1. "Adhering to tradition and innovating," drawing on existing excellent textbooks whilely incorporating new research findings recognized by academia in terms of historical materials and their interpretation.
2. Highlighting key points and historical context. Based on the historical reality of ancient Chinese literature, it emphasizes the mainstream literary forms and representative important writers and works of each period, with supplementary discussions on non-mainstream literary forms and general writers and works. It reviews the origins, developments, and transformations in major literary forms, works' content, and artistic expressions.
3. Innovations in format and structure. Instead of simply distinguishing between "social background" and "literary overview," it integrates relevant content into the respective chapters. For writers and works, it avoids the dual classification of "ideological content" and "artistic expression," focusing on discussing their fundamental characteristics holistically.
4. Selecting dozens of illustrations, including portraits of writers, book covers of works, calligraphy, and paintings, to provide readers with a vivid and magnificent visual representation of the long and glorious history of Chinese literature.
5. Concise and fluent text, with plain yet elegant narration, reflecting the authors' profound literary cultivation and writing skills.
This book, edited by Yuan Shishuo and Zhang Keli of Shandong University, was compiled over three years and has the following characteristics:
1. "Adhering to tradition and innovating," drawing on existing excellent textbooks whilely incorporating new research findings recognized by academia in terms of historical materials and their interpretation.
2. Highlighting key points and historical context. Based on the historical reality of ancient Chinese literature, it emphasizes the mainstream literary forms and representative important writers and works of each period, with supplementary discussions on non-mainstream literary forms and general writers and works. It reviews the origins, developments, and transformations in major literary forms, works' content, and artistic expressions.
3. Innovations in format and structure. Instead of simply distinguishing between "social background" and "literary overview," it integrates relevant content into the respective chapters. For writers and works, it avoids the dual classification of "ideological content" and "artistic expression," focusing on discussing their fundamental characteristics holistically.
4. Selecting dozens of illustrations, including portraits of writers, book covers of works, calligraphy, and paintings, to provide readers with a vivid and magnificent visual representation of the long and glorious history of Chinese literature.
5. Concise and fluent text, with plain yet elegant narration, reflecting the authors' profound literary cultivation and writing skills.