A History of Chinese Literature

The work traces the evolution of Chinese literature from its earliest legendary origins through successive dynastic eras, organizing material by period and by genre. It presents historical background alongside translated selections and occasional citations of native critics, and surveys canonical texts, philosophical writings, poetry, historiography, dictionaries, drama, and the novel. Attention is given to religious and intellectual currents such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, as well as to technological and cultural factors like the rise of printing. Chapters move chronologically while highlighting characteristic forms, major developments, and the changing functions of literature in society.