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History of Chinese Folk Literature

  • Book
  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Zhenduo Zheng

    1. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

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  • Traces the innovative, foundational history of folk literature, which can be read from different levels and perspectives
  • Draws on a wealth of authentic and hard-to-find material to make bold judgments and open up a unique literary history
  • Identifies the six overall qualities of folk literature, providing a compass for future folk literature studies

Part of the book series: Understanding China (UNCHI)

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
    Download chapter PDF

  2. What Is “Folk Literature”

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 1-12

  3. Ancient Songs

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 13-42

  4. Folk Literature in the Han Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 43-103

  5. Folk Songs in the Six Dynasties

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 105-148

  6. Odes and Songs in the Tang Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 149-192

  7. Bianwen, a Popular Form of Literature in the Tang Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 193-256

  8. Zajuci, a Literary Form Popularized in the Song and Jin Periods

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 257-295

  9. Guzici and Zhugongdiao: Popular Literary Forms Featured with Singing and Telling

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 297-361

  10. Sanqu, a Type of Verse in the Yuan Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 363-451

  11. Folk Songs in the Ming Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 453-489

  12. Baojuan, a Literary Form Featured with Story-Telling and Singing

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 491-520

  13. Tanci, a Literary Form Featured with Story-Telling to the Accompaniment of the Stringed Instruments

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 521-545

  14. Guci and Zidishu, the Literary Forms Popularized in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 547-562

  15. Folk Songs in the Qing Dynasty

    • Zhenduo Zheng
    Pages 563-603

  16. Back Matter

    Pages 605-628
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Keywords

About this book

This book mainly addresses the position, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in the history of Chinese literature. Divided into 14 chapters, it systematically covers central aspects of folklore literature such as ballads, folk songs, Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu, and so on from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties, filling several gaps in literary history studies. It is a comprehensive literary work, and many of the materials cited here are rare and difficult to find. In addition, the book proposes some important theories, especially six highly generalized qualities of folk literature, namely that it is: popular, collective, oral, fresh, effusive, and innovative.


With detailed, extensive materials, and quotations, the book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It is mutually complementary with Guowei Wang’s A Textual Research of the Traditional Chinese Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and Xun Lu’s A Brief History of Chinese Fiction; all three works are regarded as the most essential classics for researching the history of Chinese literature.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zhenduo Zheng

About the author

Zhenduo Zheng (1898-1958), an eminent patriot, social activist, writer, and scholar in modern China, served as a professor of Chinese at Yenching University and Tsinghua University, and as a dean of the School of Literature at Ji’nan University. Beginning in 1949, Zhenduo Zheng served as the vice-minister of Culture and Secretary of the Cultural Heritage Bureau, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, director of the Institutes of Literature Research and Archeology, and member of the National Committee of the CPPCC.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: History of Chinese Folk Literature

  • Authors: Zhenduo Zheng

  • Translated by: Yang Yuying

  • Series Title: Understanding China

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5445-9

  • Publisher: Springer Singapore

  • eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media Studies, Literature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-16-5444-2Published: 29 October 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-981-16-5447-3Published: 30 October 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-981-16-5445-9Published: 28 October 2021

  • Series ISSN: 2196-3134

  • Series E-ISSN: 2196-3142

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 628

  • Number of Illustrations: 8 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Literary History, History of China, Literary Theory

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