A History of Chinese Literature
A HISTORY OF
CHINESE LITERATURE
BY
HERBERT A. GILES, M. A., LL. D. (Aberd.)
PROFESSOR OF CHINESE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
AND LATE H. B. M. CONSUL AT NINGPO
NEW YORK AND LONDON
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
1927
PREFACE
This is the first attempt made in any language, including Chinese, to produce a history of Chinese literature.
Native scholars, with their endless critiques and appreciations of individual works, do not seem ever to have contemplated anything of the kind, realising, no doubt, the utter hopelessness, from a Chinese point of view, of achieving even comparative success in a general historical survey of the subject. The voluminous character of a literature which was already in existence some six centuries before the Christian era, and has run on uninterruptedly until the present date, may well have given pause to writers aiming at completeness. The foreign student, however, is on a totally different footing. It may be said without offence that a work which would be inadequate to the requirements of a native public, may properly be submitted to English readers as an introduction into the great field which lies beyond.
Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Gosse, to whom I am otherwise indebted for many valuable hints, I have devoted a large portion of this book to translation, thus enabling the Chinese author, so far as translation will allow, to speak for himself. I have also added, here and there, remarks by native critics, that the reader may be able to form an idea of the point of view from which the Chinese judge their own productions.
It only remains to be stated that the translations, with the exception of a few passages from Legge's "Chinese Classics," in each case duly acknowledged, are my own.
HERBERT A. GILES.
Cambridge.
CONTENTS
BOOK THE FIRST—THE FEUDAL PERIOD (B.C. 600-200)
I. | 3 |
II. | 7 |
III. | 32 |
IV. | 43 |
V. | 50 |
VI. | 56 |
BOOK THE SECOND—THE HAN DYNASTY
(B.C. 200-A.D. 200)
I. | 77 |
II. | 97 |
III. | 102 |
IV. | 110 |
BOOK THE THIRD—MINOR DYNASTIES (A.D. 200-600)
I. | 119 |
II. | 137 |
BOOK THE FOURTH—THE T'ANG DYNASTY (A.D. 600-900)
I. | 143 |
II. | 189 |
BOOK THE FIFTH—THE SUNG DYNASTY (A.D. 900-1200)
I. | 209 |
II. | 212 |
III. | 232 |
IV. | 238 |
BOOK THE SIXTH—THE MONGOL DYNASTY (A.D. 1200-1368)
I. | 247 |
II. | 256 |
III. | 276 |
BOOK THE SEVENTH—THE MING DYNASTY
(A.D. 1368-1644)
I. | 291 |
II. | 309 |
III. | 329 |
BOOK THE EIGHTH—THE MANCHU DYNASTY
(A.D. 1644-1900)
I. | 337 |
II. | 385 |
III. | 391 |
IV. | 425 |
441 |
443 |
Copyright, 1901,
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.
Printed in the United States of America
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1935, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 88 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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