Foreword -- Part One: Ancient Chinese literature -- The book of Songs: the earliest anthology of poetry -- "Folk songs of 15 regions" ("Guofeng") -- The epic of the western Zhou people -- Prose writings of various schools of thought during the spring and autumn and the Warring States Period: models for prose writings -- Tao Te Ching -- The Analects -- Mencius -- Zhuangzi -- Lu Yuan: a romantic lyricist -- Qu Yuan -- The lament on encountering sorrows -- Records of the historian: the first and last work by historians, Li Sao without rhyme -- Pre-Qin historical books -- About Records of the historian -- The characterization in Records of the historian -- History and literature -- Literature in the Wei and Jin Period: the vigorous and powerful style of Jian'an literature and Tao Yuanming -- Li Bai and Du Fu: The two summits of Tang poetry -- Li Bai, romantic genius poet -- Du Fu, a compassionate sage poet -- Ci poetry: poems that can be sung -- Su Shi -- Li Qingzhao -- Xin Qiji -- Two outstanding playwrights of the Yuan Opera: Guan Hanqing and Wang Shifu -- Guan Hanqing -- Wang Shifu -- Classical fictions in chapter-titled style in the Ming Dynasty: Romance of the three kingdoms, Outlaws of the marsh and Journey to the west -- Romance of the three kingdoms -- Outlaws of the marsh -- Strange tales from Make-Do Studio: short stories of the Qing Dynasty -- A dream of red mansions: the pinnacle of classical literature -- Part Two: modern and contemporary Chinese literature -- Lu Xun, founder of new vernacular literature -- The transformation of literature -- Lu Xun -- Modern fiction: Echo of the times -- Mao Dun and modern fiction -- Ba Jin and his "torrent trilogy" -- Lao She and "Beijing style" citizen fiction -- "Beijing School" and Shanghai School" -- New poetry: finding a voice of their own -- New poetry: finding a voice of their own -- Guo Moruo: a destroyer and a creator -- Ai Qing: a singer of the land and the sun -- Mu Dan: richness vs. rich suffering -- Modern drama: birth and maturing -- Literature in the new era: reflections, root-seeking and explorations -- Memories of the historical wounds -- Root-seeking and countryside literature -- Avantgarde novels -- Writings of the neo-realism -- Trend of new poetry -- Present-day literature: writings for the public -- New historical novels: voices of individuality -- Cultural prose: a new literary style -- Youth writing: Keeping abreast with fashion -- Movie-TV literature and cyber-literature: another wing of literature