History of Chinese Folk Literature

This book explores the role, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in Chinese literature history, covering various forms from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties. It is a comprehensive work with rare and valuable materials and proposes important theories on folk literature's characteristics. It complements other essential classics on Chinese literature history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 628 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2021
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This book delves into the multifaceted realm of folk oral literature, exploring its pivotal role, functions, influence, and intrinsic values throughout the rich tapestry of Chinese literature. Comprising a total of 14 chapters, it meticulously covers a wide range of central aspects of folklore, encompassing a diverse array of forms such as ballads, folk songs, Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu, and many more. By filling in numerous gaps in literary history studies, this comprehensive literary work stands as a testament to its significance. What sets this book apart is the rarity and difficulty of accessing the materials cited within its pages. Many of the references are scarce and sought after, making it a treasure trove of literary insights. Moreover, the book offers valuable theories, particularly six highly generalized qualities that define folk literature: its popularity, collective nature, oral tradition, freshness, effusive expression, and innovative spirit. These qualities provide a framework for understanding the unique qualities and characteristics of this genre. With an abundance of detailed and extensive materials, accompanied by insightful quotations, this book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It stands in harmonious complementarity 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, which are widely regarded as the most essential classics for delving into the history of Chinese literature.

Weight: 1118g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811654442
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021