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The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature 2 Volume Hardback Set

Stephen Owen editor Kang-i Sun Chang editor

Format:Set / collection

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:1st Apr '10

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature 2 Volume Hardback  Set cover

An account of three thousand years of Chinese literature accessible to non-specialist readers as well as scholars and students.

From the beginnings of the Chinese written language to the lively world of internet literature, these two volumes tell the story of Chinese writing. The chapters, organized chronologically, treat not only poetry, drama, and fiction, but also works of history and the informal prose of later eras.China has one of the longest continuous literary traditions in the world. From the beginnings of the Chinese written language to the lively world of internet literature, these two volumes tell the story of Chinese writing, both as an instrument of the state and as a medium for culture outside the state. The chapters, organized chronologically, treat not only poetry, drama, and fiction, but also historical writing and other prose forms. Written by internationally recognized experts in the field, the History frequently challenges current scholarship, from taking recent archeological discoveries into consideration to understanding Chinese modernity not as a sudden rupture with the past but as part of a longer process. The History offers both an integrated narrative, situating literature in its larger cultural context, and an overview of the key developments of the past millennia accessible to non-specialist readers as well as scholars and students of Chinese.

'The easy narrative style and convenient subdivisions … should make these [books] an alluring reference work for undergraduate courses … This work has been long awaited … [the] substantial and handsome volumes are a formidable work of synoptic scholarship, and the editors deserve credit for stitching it all together so seamlessly. All contributors bring erudition and experience to their subjects.' The Times Literary Supplement

ISBN: 9780521116770

Dimensions: 235mm x 158mm x 81mm

Weight: 2750g

1704 pages