This document provides an overview of Chinese literature across different historical periods. It begins with an introduction to China and outlines two traditions in Chinese literature - the classical and vernacular traditions. It then describes the major historical periods of Chinese literature beginning with the Classical Period from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD, followed by the Medieval, Early Modern, and Modern periods. Excerpts from important Chinese philosophers and poets are also included, such as Confucius, Laozi, Li Po, and Tu Fu. Their works had influences across philosophy, poetry, and painting.

1. CHINESE LITERATURE

2. CHINA– People’s Republic of China
Capital City : Beijing
Largest City : Shanghai
Recorded history from some 3,500 years ago.
Chinese Name : Zhongguo “Central Land”
Two Distinct Traditions Exists in Chinese Literature
Literary or Classical
Vernacular or Colloquial

3. HISTORICAL PERIODS

4. CLASSICAL PERIOD
 6th Century BC to 2nd Century AD
Zhou Dynasty (1027 – 221 BC)
Composed of the Works of
Confucius
Mencius
Lao – Tzu
Zhuangzi

5. Five Classics or Confucian Classics
Book of Changes (I – Ching)
Book of Rites (Li – Ching)
Book of Historical Documents (Shu – Ching)
Book of Poetry (Shi – Ching)
Book of Spring and Autumn (Ch’un Ch’iu)

6. Medieval Period
3rd Century to late 12th Century
China suffered invasions by Tatar tribes
Barren of Literary production
Spread of Buddhism from India
Flowering of Poetry and Prose
Invention of Printing

7. Early Modern Period
 13th Century to the end of the 19th Century
 Written in Vernacular Chinese
 Yuan Dynasty (1279 – 1368)
 Growth of Chinese Fiction and Drama

8. Modern Period
Started at the beginning of 20th Century
Age of Prose
New Fictions in the form of Short Stories
Gao Xingjian (1940) won the Noble Prize for Literature
in the year 2000

9. ANALECTS
Confucius

10. On WIT and WISDOM
1. “To know what you know and know what you don’t know
is the characteristic of one who knows.”
2. “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct
it is committing another mistake.”
3. A man who has a beautiful soul always has some beautiful
things to say, but a man who says beautiful things does not
necessarily have a beautiful soul.”
4. “A man who brags without shame will find great difficulty
in living up his bragging.”
5. “A man who does not think and plan long head will find
trouble by his door.”

11. 6. “When you find a person worthy to talk to and fail to talk
to him, you have missed your man. When you find a man
unworthy to talk to and you talk to him, you have missed
(wasted) your words.”
7. “When you repay kindness with kindness, then the people
are encouraged to do good. To repay evil with kindness is the
sign of generous character. To repay kindness with evil is the
sign of a criminal.”
8. “When you see a good man, try to emulate his example and
when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults.”
9. “Don’t criticize other people’s faults, criticize your own.”
10. “You can kill the general of an army, but you cannot kill
the ambition in a common man.”

12. ON THE SUPERIOR MAN AND
THE INFERIOR MAN
Confucius

13. 1. “ The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his
property. The superior man always remember how he was
punished for his mistakes, the inferior man always
remembers what presents he got.”
2. “The superior man is liberal towards others’ opinions, but
does not completely agree with them; the inferior man
completely agrees with others’ opinions, but he is not
liberal towards them.”
3. “The superior man blames himself; the inferior man blames
others.”
4. “You can put a superior man in an important position with
large discretionary powers, but you cannot give him a little
with the nice job; you can give an inferior man a little nice
job, but you cannot put him in an important position with
great discretionary powers.”

14. 5. “The superior man is broadminded towards all men and not
a partisan; the inferior man is a partisan, but not broadminded
toward all.”
6. “The superior man is dignified and at ease (with himself or
others); the inferior man is always worried about something.”
7. “The superior man doesn’t insist on good food and good
lodging. He is attentive to his duties and careful in his speech
and he finds a great man and follows him as a guide. Such
person may be called a lover of learning.”

15. 8. “A scholar who intends to follow the truth and is ashamed of
his poor dress and poor food is not worth talking to. A scholar
who is in love with living comforts is not worthy to be called a
scholar.”
9. “There are things that the superior man hates. He hates
those who like to criticize people or reveal their weaknesses.
He hates those who, in the position of the inferiors, like to
malign or spread rumors about those who in authority. He
hates those who are chivalrous and headstrong but are
restrained by propriety.”
10. “A man who appears dignified and austere but is all hollow
and weak inside seems to me to be like a pretty burglar who
slips into the house through a hole at night.”

16. Confucius
Born (551 – 479 BC)
A Chinese Philosopher
Stresses the importance of Music
All works are compiled by his Disciples
Teachings are practical and ethical

17. Lao Tzu
TAO-THE-CHING

18. IV
How does the sea become the king of all streams?
Because it lies lower than they!
Hence it is the king of all streams.
Therefore, to rise above people, you must humble yourself in you
speech;
To be a leader of the people, you must put yourself behind them.
Thus it is that when a Sage stands above the people, they do not
feel the heaviness of his weight;
And when he stands in front of the people they do not feel hurt.
Therefore, all the world is glad to push him forward without
being tired of him.

19. V
Difficult things of the world
Can only be tackled when they are easy.
Big things of the world
Can only be achieved by attending to their small beginnings.
Thus, the Sage never has to grapple with big things,
Yet, he, alone is capable of achieving them!
He who promises lightly must be lacking in faith.
He who thinks everything easy will end by finding everything
difficult.
Therefore, the Sage, who regards everything as difficult, meets
with no difficulties in the end.

20. VII
The more taboos and inhibitions there are in the world,
The poorer the people become.
The more sharp weapons the people possess,
The greater confusion reigns in the realm.
The more the clever and crafty the men,
The oftener strange things happen.
The more articulate the laws and ordinances,
the more robbers and thieves arise.

21. Therefore, the Sage says:
I do not make any fuss, and the people transform themselves
I love quietude, and the people settle down in their regular
grooves.
I do not engage myself in anything, and the people grow rich.
I have no desires, and the people return to Simplicity

22. XV
Rather than fill a vessel to overflowing, stop in time;
Continual sharpening will wear away the keenest blade.
If you fill your palace with gold and jade, how shall it be guarded?
To be arrogant because of wealth is to court calamity.
Accomplish your aims, earn honor but do not claim it;
The wise man retires quietly from the world;
It is then that he experiences the Divine Tao.

23. Lao - Tzu
Born (570 – 490 BC) at Henan
A Chinese Philosopher
Founder of Taoism
Referred as Divine Sage
Teachings are practical and ethical
Tao “The Way”

24. The Poems of Li - Po

25. A Sigh From A Staircase of Jade
Her jade – white staircase is cold with dew;
Her silk soles are wet, she lingered there so long,
Behind her close casement why is she still waiting
Watching through its crystal pane the glow of the
autumn moon?

26. A Song of Pure Happiness
Her robe is a cloud, her face a flower;
Her balcony glimmering with the bright spring
dew,
Is either the tip of Earth’s Jade Mountain
Or a moon – edged roof of paradise.

27. On the River
She is gathering lotus in the river Yeh,
She spies a passer – by and turns round
Singing her boat song.
She laughs and hides away among lilies;
And seemingly shy, she will not show her face again.

28. On the Lake
The water of the Mirror Lake
Is clear like the moon;
The girl of Ye – chi
Has a face white as snow.
Her silvery image
Trembles in the silvery ripples.

29. Watching the Reapers
Po – Chu - I

30. Tillers of the soil have few idle months;
In the fifth month, their toil is double – fold.
A south wind visits the field at night:
Suddenly the hill is covered with yellow corn.
Wives and daughters shoulder baskets of rice;
Youths and boys carry the flasks of wine.
Following after they bring a wage meat
To the strong reapers toiling on the southern hill
Whose feet are burned by the hot earth they tread,
Whose backs are scorched by flames of the shining sky.

31. Tired they toil, caring nothing for the heat,
Grudging the shortness of the long summer day.
A poor woman follows at the reaper’s side
With an infant child carried close at her breast.
With her right hand, she gleans the fallen grain;
On her left arm a broken basket hangs.
And I today… by virtue of what right
Have I never once tended field or tree?
My government’s pay is hundred tons;
At the year’s end I have still grain in hand;
Thinking of this, secretly I grew ashamed;
And all day the thought lingered on my head.

32. Li - Po
Born (701? – 762 AD
Poems are in musical quality
Usual themes are sorrow and Taoist appreciation
He died because he was drowned while drunkenly
learning from a boat to embrace the moon’s reflection
on the water.

33. Po – Chu - I
Born (772 – 864)
A Poet
A Provincial Governor
Believed that Literature should have social purpose
Employed Satire and Humor in his works
Popular since T’ang Dynasty

34. Tu Fu
Born (710 – 770)
Greatest Chinese Poet
Raised according to Confucian tradition
Wrote poems marked by lyrical praise
Elements of Satire And expressions of Somber feelings
entered his verse

35. Wang Wei
Born (699 – 759)
Founder of pure landscape style of painting
Master of lyric verse in the T’ang Dynasty
Poems are admired for Sensitivity to Nature