Chinese Classical Literature

Pre-Qin Literature

Book of Songs The book was composed during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-770 B.C.) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), making the beginning of China’s 3,000 years of literature history. Edited by Confucius, it is an anthology of about three hundred poems. Some of them are folk songs from the feudal states of early Zhou while others are songs used by the nobles in sacrificial ceremonies or at banquets.   Analects It is the most important work of the Co... More

Literature of Qin & Han Dynasties

In Chinese history, Qin and Han dynasties ranged from 221B.C. to 220 A.D. which is focus on historical records.   Historical Records by Sima Qian The book is a model of prose writing which was studied and inherited by writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties.   Flight of the Phoenix to the Southeast In the Han Dynasty there appeared a new kind of poetry called Yuefu. Originally it was am official constitution for collecting folk songs and composing music for ... More

Literature of Wei & Jin Dynasties

Wei, Jin and and Northern dynasties covered a period from 220 A.D. to 581A.D.. During this time, the most famous literature master is Tao Yuanming whose poems were named as “farmland peom”.   Collected Works of Tao Yuanming The book contains poems and prose of Tao, a master of the Poetry of Yinyi School. Disillusioned by the darkness of society and ups and downs in politics, he retired form his government post and chose to live in seclusion. Most of his poems are idyl... More

Literature of the Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty was of both economical and cultural prosperity lasted from 618 A.D. to 907 A.D.. Its poetry reached a zenith in history. The Complete Collection of Tang Poems, edited in the early Qing Dynasty, comprises 48,977 poems by 2,208 poets, of which the most well-known two are Li Po and Du Fu.   Li Po Li is the greatest romantic poet in ancient China after Qu Yuan. His poems permeated with romanticism are vigorous, enthusiastic and lucid. His anthology contains about 1,0... More

Literature of the Song Dynasty

The literature of Song period (960 A.D. – 1279 A.D.) is renowned for Ci. Ci is a form of portry consisting of lines of different lengths. In its early period, Ci described mainly the sentiments and sorrow between a gentleman and his beloved. At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty there appeared writers who used Ci to describe natural scenery and expressed emotions of grief and indignation   Li Qingzhao Li is the first outstanding female Ci poet in China. Her works are stro... More

Literature of the Yuan Dynasty

Zaju or drama, was the greatest achievement in the literature of the Yuan Dynasty which started from 1271 A.D. and was replaced by Ming Dynasty in 1368 A.D. had a far-reaching influence on the later development of play writing and acting as well as in the rise of various forms of operas.   Collected Works of Guan Hanqing The Yuan Dynasty ushered in a golden age of Chinese drama. Among the numerous playwrights of that time, Guan Hanqing was definitely the most outstanding rep... More

Literature of the Ming & Qing Dynasties

The most succeeds in literature of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ( 1368 A.D. - 1840A.D.) is the four novels which have been spread all over the world with high literal values, namely, Outlaws of the Marsh, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, A Dream of Red Mansion.   Outlaws of the Marsh by Shi Nai'an The story tells of 108 outlaws under the green wood headed by Song Jiang. The story takes place in Liangshan Mountain in a peasant's revolt during the reign of Emp... More