中国文学英文介绍 Chinese Literature

1、Zhnggu wnxu中国中国 文学文学Chinese Literature China is the only country in the world with a literature written in one language for more than 3,000 consecutive years. Do you know how long is Chinese in literature written? This continuity results largely from the nature of the written language itself. It is

2、the use of characters, not letters as in Western languages, that is most important in the Chinese language. The characters stand for things or ideas and so, unlike groups of letters. Thus Chinese could be read by people in all parts of the country in spite of gradual changes in pronunciation, the em

3、ergence of regional and local dialects, and modification of the characters .ReasonChina has a very old and rich tradition in literature and the dramatic and visual arts. Early writings generally derived from philosophical or religious essays such as the works of Confucius (551-479 BC) and Lao-tzu (p

4、robably 4th century BC). These writings were often about how people should act and how the society and political system should be organized and operated. A strong tradition of historical writing also evolved. After the fall of a dynasty, for example, a grand history of the late dynasty was commissio

5、ned and written by scholars in the next dynasty.IntroductionThe principal genre of Chinese literature is poetry.The earliest Chinese Poem collection is 诗诗Shi经经jing (Classic of Poetry) is made up of 305 poems divided into 160 folk songs; early folk songs established the 乐乐Yue府府fu诗诗shi form that cryst

6、allized during the Han dynasty and dominated for the next 1,200 years. Beginning with the simple complaints and longings expressed in rhymed couplets of folk songs, this form gradually became more and more complex, or regulated, until it took years of study to master its formal rules of composition.

7、Poetry became well established as a literary form during the Tang Dynasty,main contribution to Chinese literature was in the poetry of Dufu, Li Bai and many other poets. 杜杜Du甫甫fu and 李李Li白白Bai are often thought of as Chinas greatest poets.Classical Poetry李Li 白Bai (701762) was one of the greatest rom

8、antic poets of ancient China. He wrote at least a thousand poems on a variety of subjects from political matters to natural scenery.Drama is another old and important literary form. Chinese drama usually combines vernacular language with music and song and thus has been popular with the common peopl

9、e. A variety of popular and standard themes are presented in Peking Opera, which is probably the best known of several operatic traditions that developed in China. Chinese opera is a favorite artistic and cultural medium.DramaThe Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature are the four novels

10、commonly regarded by Chinese literary criticism to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well-known to most Chinese either directly or through their many adaptations to opera and various popular culture media.They are am

11、ong the worlds longest and oldest novels and are considered to be the pinnacle of Chinas achievement in classical novels, influencing the creation of many stories, plays, movies, games, and other forms of entertainment throughout East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Chinese Novels S

12、 d mngzh四大名著四大名著Four classical novelsDream of the Red ChamberRomance of the Three KingdomsOutlaws of the MarshJourney to the WestHnglumngSngu ynyShuh zhunXyu jIt is a classic historical novel of enormous influence, is widely known in China as one of the four great Chinese classic novels. Its author

13、, as the textual research goes, was a scholar lived in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, but his exact birth and death years are not known.Sngu ynyRomance of the Three Kingdoms is based on the history of the three kingdoms, Wei, Shu and Wu that strove to reunite the empire at the end of

14、the Eastern Han Dynasty. The history of this period is expounded in the renowned history book Three Kingdoms, and stories of the heroes and their deeds within have also come down from various folk tales, plays, ballads and verses. Out of historical records and folktales, created the enduring histori

15、cal and literary masterpiece.The literary value of Romance of the Three Kingdoms lies much in the vivid characters sketched in the novel: For instant,loyal Guan Yu, who is the best known Chinese historical figures throughout East Asia,revered by later generations as the Martial Saint (the Literal Sa

16、int is Confucius), the saint of loyalty and courage.Traditionally, he is portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard. Alternatively, the idea of his red face could have been borrowed from opera representation, where red faces depict loyalty and righteousness. Guan Yu is traditionally dep

17、icted wearing a green robe over his body armour. Supposedly, Guan Yus weapon was aBroadswordnamedGreen Dragon Crescent Blade.WittyZhuge LiangEmpty Fort StrategyThe Empty Fort Strategy is the 32nd of the Chinese . The strategy involves using reverse psychology (and luck) to deceive the enemy into thi

18、nking that an empty location is full of traps and ambushes, and therefore induce the enemy to retreat. Some examples are listed in the following sections.Water Marginis about the lives and ideals of a group of characters who fought against the corrupt Song Dynasty that the Mongols conquered. It is s

19、aid it was written in vernacular language by Shi Nai An, but scholars debate about the authorship of this book also. Many scholars think that the first 70 chapters were written by Shi Nai An and that the last 30 chapters were written by Luo Guan Zhong who they say was also the author ofThe Romance o

20、f the Three Kingdoms. It is considered to be of the top two best historical novels.Water Marginis reminiscent of the story ofRobin Hood. Likewise, there may have been actual outlaws, and popular legends and stories later grew. ButWater Marginis probably more fictional and less historically accurate

21、thanThe Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In the early tales or accounts, there were only about 40 outlaws, but the number in the band grew to more than 100. In the novel, the band fights the corrupt Song rulers. There are several versions of the novel. One version that has many more chapters than the

22、others describes how the band gets amnesty from the Song rulers and battles their common foes for the rulers.Shuh zhun武松：Wu Song is described as a good-looking man with shining eyes, thick eyebrows, a muscular body and an impressive bearing. The most impressive of Wu song is under the influence of a

23、lcohol, he ends up slaying the tiger by pinning it to the ground and bashing its head repeatedly with his bare fists. He becomes famous for his heroic deed.鲁智深：Lu Zhishens original name was Lu Da. He is described to have a round face, big ears, a straight nose, a squarish mouth, and a beard which ov

24、ershadows his face. Lu Da becomes a monk in the monastery and is given the Buddhist name Zhishen, which means sagacious. He is also nicknamed Flowery Monk because of the flowery tattoos which adorn his upper body.During the Tang Dynasty, a Buddhist named Xuanzang left Chang An (TodaysXian)that was t

25、he capital of the Tang Empire to travel to India in order to collect scriptures and information.In the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644), the fantastic tale was written, In the novel, a great intelligent monkey and a small band of characters protects a defenseless monk during his journey. Buddha commissi

26、oned the monk to help India that had fallen into gross sin and immorality. The monkey and other characters have magical skills. Cartoons and movies about this group of characters are popular with children.Journey to the Westis thought to have been published anonymously by Wu Chengen in the 16th cent

27、ury though scholars have doubt about the authorship.X yu j孙悟空：孙悟空：Sun Wukong is born on Flower Fruit Mountain from a stone egg that forms from an ancient rock created by the coupling of Heaven and Earth. He first distinguishes himself by bravely entering the Water Curtain Cave on the mountain; for t

28、his feat, his monkey tribe gives him the title of Handsome Monkey King. He was working for the Jade Emperor, who is the chief of the haven. But his job is a very low position, he becomes very angry. he starts causing trouble in Heaven and defeats an army of 100,000 celestial troops. Eventually, the

29、Jade Emperor appeals to the Buddha, who detains Wukong under a mountain called Five Elements Mountain for 500 years. He is later set free when Xuanzang comes upon him during his pilgrimage and accepts him as a disciple.His primary weapon is his staff, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which he can shrink down to

30、 the size of a needle and keep in his ear, as well as expand it to gigantic proportions.The Dream of the Red Chamber is about the fortunes and lives of the people of two branches of a clan in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) era. The two families had adjacent compounds. It is sort of like a soap opera n

31、ovel like the TV series Dallas. However, it is said that much of it actually happened. It is appreciated because it gives a view into the lives of two ruling families of that time. One of the members of the clan was made a concubine of an emperor. But then the imperial court turned against the two f

32、amilies.It is probably mostly composed by Cao Xueqin (about 1715-1763) in the middle 1700s. It is thought that Cao did not live to see the first printing. It is thought that another person or other people contributed the ending of the story since the original ending of the story was lost.Hng lu mng贾宝玉：贾宝玉：Jia Baoyu born with a piece of luminescent jade in his mouth。Baoyu is highly intelligent, but dislikes the fawning bureaucrats that frequent his fathers house