Chinese literature is of long standing
and well established. Early in the 6th century B.C., The
Book of Odes, the first collection of poems in China, was
compiled. More than 300 years later, Qu Yuan, the first
great poet in the history of Chinese literature, wrote Li
Sao (The Lament), a full-length lyrical poem. Later, in the
long feudal society, Chinese literature further developed.
For example, the official music houses of the Han Dynasty,
poems of the Tang Dynasty, poetic genres of the Song
Dynasty, quyi (Chinese folk art forms) of the Yuan Dynasty
and novels of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The four Chinese
famous works of classical literature are Romance of the
Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, Story of a Journey to
the West and A Dream of Red Mansions. The four famous works
have editions in foreign languages.
In the
1920s, progressive writers, like Lu Xun, began to use
literature as weapon to expose pressure groups and to arouse
passions of the people. The representative works of this
period are The True Story of Ah Q, The Goddesses and The
Spring Silkworms.
After the founding of the
People's Republic of China, Chinese literature entered its
contemporary stage. Writers plunged into the thick of life
and eulogized the spirit of selflessness and the
contribution of Chinese people to the process of socialist
construction and reform. The History of Starting an
Undertaking, Song of Youth and Violent Storm are works of
excellence in contemporary Chinese literature.
|