Routledge Handbook of Traditional Chinese Literature

This Handbook presents a comprehensive overview of 3,000 years of Chinese literature from its earliest beginnings to the end of the Qing (1644–1911), the last empire of China. With a focus on well-known authors and masterpieces in each important genre, this volume covers verses, prose, drama, and fiction arranged in the following thematic groupings: • Pre-Qin and Han poetry, poetry of the Six Dynasties, poetry of the Tang, poetry of the Song, and lyrics of the Song, • Prose of historians, prose of philosophers, and literati prose, • Tragedy and romance in Yuan drama, southern plays of ethics, and chuanqi plays of the Ming and the Qing, • Classical-language tales, vernacular short stories, heroic romances, novels of spirits and devils, novels of manners and satire, and novels of social exposure and prostitution, Featuring both introductions and in-depth analyses, this Handbook incorporates the most recent scholarly works for each entry and also facilitates future research by providing further readings. Authored by a stellar line-up of experts in the field of Chinese literature, this is an essential reference guide for all students and scholars in the fields of Chinese literature and culture.