Description: The written culture of 20th-century China has only recently begun to receive sustained attention from Western readers and critics. Even now, the subject is generally approached only in fragments: readers study the poetry of the late Imperial era, the fiction of early Maoist China, or dramatic work after the Cultural Revolution. In this sweeping one-volume survey, Kam Louie and Bonnie S. McDougall present a much-needed overview of a wide spectrum of fiction, poetry, and drama that captures the spirit of this tumultuous century.

The book opens with a revealing exploration of China's social and intellectual hierarchy -- which largely determines who creates and consumes literature -- imparting an invaluable perspective on the Chinese writer's life and craft. Louie and McDougall appraise the literature in relation to three major historical periods: the first, from the 1900 Boxer Rebellion through 1937, when Western influence kindled the growth of writing as a profession; the second, through 1969, as decades of war and revolution sparked a national reaffirmation through literature drawing on native traditions; and the third, when the Cultural Revolution inadvertently sparked the growth of experimental, Western-influenced strains of literature, which, though it gradually emerged into the mainstream, was brutally set back by the Tienanmen Square massacres.

The Literature of China in the 20th Century also presents illuminating information on writers, audiences, and the impact of various literary works on politics and culture. In this clearly structured and comprehensive volume, Louie and McDougall provide a unique window on Chinese society. With its bibliographies and informative glossaries,it will prove an essential reference and teaching tool.

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