| Moveable type and woodblock printing were both invented in China, and the strong emphasis on education in ancient China, especially among the Confucian elite, meant that there was widespread interest in and understanding of literature, at least among the educated classes, beginning early on in Chinese history. This historically strong interest in creating and reading works of fiction contributed to the creation of China’s rich literary tradition that continues to exist today. The most well-known forms of Chinese literature are classical Chinese poetry, especially that of the Tang Dynasty, the Four Great Classical Novels of the Ming and Qing, and the works of modern writers like Lu Xun.  Classical Chinese poetry The Tang dynasty (618-907 CE) was a high point in terms of China’s cultural development. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that this was also a watershed moment for poetry in China. The Tang dynasty poets Li Bai (李白 Lǐ Bái) and Du Fu (杜甫 Dù Fǔ) are some of the most well-known and celebrated poets in modern China. Although Li Bai did not invent any new poetic forms, he displayed an unparalleled mastery of existing forms and infused them with his own personality. His poems (诗歌 shīgē) are notable for their use of fantastic imagery and nostalgic sentiments, as well as for their glorification of wine and drunkeness. By contrast, Du Fu’s poetry is much more staid and tends to deal with themes such as history and morality. During the eighteenth century, many of the most celebrated Tang dynasty poems were collected into an anthology called Three Hundred Tang Poems (唐诗三百首 Tángshī Sānbǎishǒu). This collection has enjoyed immense popularity ever since and a copy can be found in most Chinese households. Many Chinese children today can recite several, if not all, of the poems from memory. After the Tang dynasty, poetry continued to flourish during the Song dynasty (960-1279 CE), although a different style of poetry, known as ci (词 cí), became especially popular during this time. To this day, scholars and arm-chair intellectuals continue to debate the question of which period had better poetry, the Tang or the Song. During the Ming (1368-1644 CE) and Qing dynasties (1636–1912 CE), the ability to compose classical-style poetry became an expected mark of cultural sophistication among China’s elite. Poetry composition was a popular pastime for the wealthy and the educated, who would compete with each other to see who could compose the best verses. |
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