A Brief History Of Chinese Fiction

Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good

Few literary works stand as such decisive monuments to cultural scholarship as Lu Hsun's A Brief History of Chinese Fiction — a sweeping, authoritative survey that charts the evolution of Chinese narrative prose from its earliest mythological roots through the vibrant vernacular novels of the Qing dynasty. The work presents a panoramic and meticulously argued account of how fiction emerged from peripheral, even disreputable origins in ancient Chinese society to become a rich and vital literary tradition, with Lu Hsun tracing the development of ghost tales, chivalric romances, and satirical novels with both scholarly precision and genuine literary passion. Written by one of the most towering figures in modern Chinese literature, this landmark study illustrates Lu Hsun's extraordinary command of classical texts and his acute critical intelligence, offering readers not merely a chronological catalogue but a penetrating analysis of the social and philosophical forces that shaped each era's storytelling. His prose carries the same incisive clarity that defined his celebrated fiction, making this an accessible yet rigorous work that remains indispensable for anyone seeking to understand the deep roots of China's literary imagination — and the restless creative spirit that continues to grow from them.