The classics of ancient Chinese literature

Abstract

This essay discusses the ancient Chinese literary classics by borrowing the prospective of canon  from the studies of Western literature. Studying the central issues of establishment, quality, type, and influence of ancient classics, the authors attempt to present their ancient history, decadent practices, and their central position in ancient literature and literary criticism. Moreover, from a broader perspective of modern theory, this essay argues that ancient classics are part of the important resources to release the tension between the traditional and the modern world.