Selected for Choice's list of Outstanding Academic Books for 1997. A comprehensive overview of China's 3,000 years of literary history, from its beginnings to the present day. After an introductory section discussing the concept of literature and other features of traditional Chinese society crucial to understanding its writings, the second part is broken into five major time periods (earliest times to 100 c.e.; 100-1000; 1000-1875; 1875-1915; and 1915 to the present) corresponding to changes in book production. The development of the major literary genres is traced in each of these periods. The reference section in the cloth edition includes an annotated bibliography of more than 120 pages; the paper edition has a shorter bibliography and is intended for classroom use.

The aim of the Selective Guide is to facilitate the first stage of research for those interested in Chinese literature between 1900 and 1949. It provides the reader with basic information on more than 300 words by Chinese writers. The contributions are based on independent research of sinologists from numerous countries. The guide consists of four volumes, which deal with the novel, the short story, the poem, and the drama (the current volume) respectively. Each volume contains an introduction which surveys the development of the particular genre and its characteristics in the period covered. All entries contain bibliographical information, summary of content and appraisal of the work as well as references to secondary sources and translations.

Stephen Owen is James Bryant Conant Professor of Chinese at Harvard University. --Book Jacket.