The Book of Songs, China's first anthology of poems and
earliest literary achievement, was compiled in the 6th century B.C.
Literature that followed in the long succession of dynasties
includes pre-Qin prose in a simple style, magnificent Han Dynasty
fu (rhymed prose), and the yuefu (folk songs) of
the end of the Han Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty alone can be credited
with thousands of poets, including Li Bai, Du Fu and Bai Juyi, who
left more than 50,000 enduring poems. The Song Dynasty was known
for its ci (lyrics). The most notable achievement of the
Yuan Dynasty literature was the zaju (a type of poetic drama set to
music). The Ming and Qing dynasties saw the production of four
masterpieces of the novel: Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of
the Marsh, Journey to the West and A Dream of Red
Mansions. They have been celebrated for centuries for their
rich historical and cultural connotations and unique
styles.?
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The development of Chinese literature saw two golden ages from the
1920s to the 1930s and from the 1980s to the 1990s. The first
heyday, starting from the New Culture Movement, showed strong
opposition to imperialism and feudalism. Progressive writers,
symbolized by Lu Xun, pioneered China's modern literature; Lu Xun,
Shen Congwen, Ba Jin, Mao Dun, Lao She and Zhang Ailing became
great masters in China's art and literature.
The emergence in the 1980s and 1990s of a number of new writers
and works with world influence reflects the achievements and
richness of China's late-20th century modern literature. Writers
showed greater maturity in the use of contemporary language to
express the life and aesthetic experiences of modern Chinese
people. Generally speaking, the artistry of thought and literary
expression achieved by contemporary novelists has surpassed that of
the previous generation. In recent years literature has entered a
new stage --the "She Century." Woman writers of all ages - from
those born in the 1930s to those still in their twenties --have
been active in the literary world and hold an important position in
terms of quantity and quality of literary output. Especially
noteworthy are the works of woman writers born post-60s, with
characters whose appearance and values differ greatly from those of
classical novels; their works have created a unique cultural
phenomenon in modern society.
China has set up dozens of literary awards, the most prestigious
of which are the Mao Dun Literary Award, the Lu Xun Literary Award
and the Annual Zhonghua Literary Person. The Chinese Female
Literary Award, held every five years, is a major national award
scheme, covering the fields of novel, prose, poetry, documentary
writing, female literary theory and works of translation.