A History of Chinese Literature

A History of Chinese Literature is without doubt the best basic introduction to Chinese literature, which has given to the world exquisite poetry and such classics as Monkey, The Analects of Confucius, the works of Chuang Tzu, and other writings over a time span of 2,500 or more years.
This book is the first general history of Chinese literature to be found in any language, including Chinese, and to this day has no rival. Rich in critical wisdom, it covers all periods in Chinese history from the feudal times before the Christian era to the Ch’ing (Manchu) dynasty, which ended in 1912.
Professor Giles’ book is rich in his own fine translations. All Chinese literary forms are considered: prose, poetry, the novel, the short story, drama, and scientific writing. The material is organized chronologically into eight books which are in turn divided into subject chapters. The arrival of Buddhism to China, the invention of printing, and other significant events are…