Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical

André Lévy is Emeritus Professor at the University of Bordeaux. William H. Nienhauser, Jr., is Halls-Bascom Professor of Classical Chinese Literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

• PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: AntiquityI. OriginsII. "Let one hundred flowers bloom, Let the hundred schools of thought contend!"1. Mo zi and the Logicians2. Legalism3. The Fathers of TaoismIII. The Confucian ClassicsChapter 2: ProseI. Narrative Art and Historical RecordsII. The Return of the "Ancient Style"III. The Golden Age of Trivial LiteratureIV. Literary CriticismChapter 3: PoetryI. The Two Sources of Ancient Poetry1. The Songs of Chu2. Poetry of the Han CourtII. The Golden Age of Chinese Poetry1. From Aesthetic Emotion to Metaphysical Flights2. From Age of Maturity3. The Late TangIII. The Triumph of Genres in SongChapter 4: The Literature of Entertainment: The Novel and TheaterI. Narrative Literature Written in Classical ChineseII. The Theater1. The Opera-theater of the North2. The Opera-theater of the SouthIII. The Novel1. Oral Literature2. Stories and Novellas3. The "Long Novel" or SagaAbbreviationsIndex

"Eminent sinologist Lévy (Levy) attempts an almost impossible task: to provide a general picture of ancient Chinese literature within the confines of a small book. First published in French (La littérature (litterature) chinoise ancienne et classique, Paris, 1991), Lévy's (Levy's) book is unique among the numerous published histories (in Western languages) of traditional Chinese literature because it is organized according to genres (classics, prose, poetry, drama, narrative literature, and so on) rather than according to the customary dynastic-political divisions. By following this approach Lévy (Levy) (Univ. of Bordeaux, France) is able to provide greater insight into how and why various types of literary forms developed in old China. At the same time, the author shows how and why literature was an essential part of ancient Chinese culture and civilization. Lévy (Levy) includes more than 100 translations, each of which is accompanied by commentary. His observations deserve close attention because they reveal numerous insights. This superb English translation by Nienhauser (Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison; ed. of the two-volume The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature, CH, Jul'87, Apr'99), one of the US's most accomplished China scholars, will make an ideal core text for undergraduate courses on traditional Chinese literature and culture as well as an excellent addition to all undergraduate and graduate library collections."—J. M. Hargett, SUNY at Albany , Choice, December 2000"Eminent sinologist Lévy (Levy) attempts an almost impossible task: to provide a general picture of ancient Chinese literature within the confines of a small book. First published in French (La littérature (litterature) chinoise ancienne et classique, Paris, 1991), Lévy's (Levy's) book is unique among the numerous published histories (in Western languages) of traditional Chinese literature because it is organized according to genres (classics, prose, poetry, drama, narrative literature, and so on) rather than according to the customary dynastic-political divisions. By following this approach Lévy (Levy) (Univ. of Bordeaux, France) is able to provide greater insight into how and why various types of literary forms developed in old China. At the same time, the author shows how and why literature was an essential part of ancient Chinese culture and civilization. Lévy (Levy) includes more than 100 translations, each of which is accompanied by commentary. His observations deserve close attention because they reveal numerous insights. This superb English translation by Nienhauser (Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison; ed. of the two-volume The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature, CH, Jul'87, Apr'99), one of the US's most accomplished China scholars, will make an ideal core text for undergraduate courses on traditional Chinese literature and culture as well as an excellent addition to all undergraduate and graduate library collections.December 2000"—J. M. Hargett, SUNY at Albany"As a general introduction for the lay reader . . . Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical works well, with the fast-pace and engaging short extracts providing excellent motivation. 11/23/2010"—dannyreviews.com"Eminent sinologist Lévy attempts an almost impossible task: to provide a general picture of ancient Chinese literature . . . Lévy's book is unique among the numerous published histories . . . because it is organized according to genres rather than according to the customary dynastic-political divisions.December 2000"—Choice"[A] concise and elegant account of pre—modern Chinese literature. . . . The translations . . . are fresh, uncluttered, and vivid."—Journal of the American Oriental Society"[P]rovides an insightful overview of traditional Chinese literature, and is especially recommended for general readers and beginning students."—China Quarterly