How is the history of Chinese literature divided into stages?

The history of Chinese literature can be divided into stages according to different standards. The following are some common stages: 1. Temporal division: Chinese literary history can be divided into four periods according to historical time, such as ancient times, medieval times, modern times, and modern times. 2. Periodification of literary schools: The history of Chinese literature can also be divided into different literary schools, such as ancient literature, medieval literature, modern literature, and modern literature. 3. The division of literary achievements: The history of Chinese literature can also be divided according to different literary achievements, such as poetry, prose, novels, and dramas. 4. Stages of literary styles: The history of Chinese literature can also be divided into different literary styles, such as lyric poems, argumentative poems, narrative poems, and idyllic poems. The above are just some common methods of dividing the period. In fact, there are many specific methods of dividing the period of Chinese literary history. The choice of dividing the period should be decided according to the content of literary history, the research object and the research method.

In the history of Chinese literature, ancient literature was usually divided into three stages: the Pre-Qin philosophers, the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties. Each stage consisted of seven sections, and each section was usually divided according to a specific topic or event. To be specific, the period of the Pre-Qin philosophers included the Spring and Autumn Annals, the Warring States Period, Han Feizi, and the Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals. The Qin and Han Dynasties included works such as Records of the Historian, Han Shu, Han Shu of the Later Han Dynasty, and Records of the Three Kingdoms. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were works such as Jin Shu, Southern and Northern Dynasties Shu, Song Shu, Qi Shu, Liang Shu, Wei Shu, Northern Qi Shu, and Northern Zhou Shu. The theme or event of each paragraph is usually different, so the division is based on these different topics or events. For example, in the Records of the Historian, Sima Qian divided the history of the Qin and Han Dynasties into several stages, such as the struggle for hegemony between the vassals, the war between Chu and Han, and the unification of the six countries. Each stage had different events and characters. In Han Shu, the political system of the Han Dynasty was divided into several stages, such as Wang Mang's usurpation of the throne, the turmoil at the end of the Han Dynasty, and the Three Kingdoms period. Each stage had different political events and cultural phenomena.

The history of Chinese literature is a literary treasure house with a long history. Its development process can be divided into many stages. The first stage was from the 11th century to the 6th century. The literary works of this period were mainly poems such as Guan Ju and 300 Poems. The second stage was from the 6th century B.C. to the 2nd century B.C. The literary works of this period were mainly the Songs of Chu, the earliest romantic poems in the history of Chinese literature. The third stage was the Yuefu Poetry of the Han Dynasty, from the 2nd century B.C. to 220 A.D. The literary works of this period were mainly Yuefu poems such as Song of Everlasting Regret and Song of Pipa. The fourth stage was the Tang Dynasty poetry era from 220 to 907. The literary works of this period were mainly Tang Dynasty poems such as Du Fu's Ascending and Bai Juyi's Song of Everlasting Regret. The fifth stage was the Song Dynasty literary era from 907 to 1279. The literary works of this period were mainly Song Dynasty literature such as Su Shi's Ode to the Red Cliff and Xin Qiji's Sapphire Case. The sixth stage was from 1279 to 1368. The literary works of this period were mainly Yuan novels such as Dream of the Red Chamber and Water Margins. The seventh stage was the prose era of the Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644. The literary works of this period were mainly Ming Dynasty prose, such as Xu Wei's Travels of Xu Xiake and Lu Xun's Diary of a Madman. The eighth stage was the Qing Dynasty literature era, from 1644 to 1911. The literary works of this period were mainly Qing Dynasty literature such as Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber and Lu Xun's Diary of a Madman. These stages were not absolute. There were also some overlapping and gradual relationships.

The divisions and main styles of the history of ancient Chinese literature: In the history of ancient Chinese literature, it can be divided into different periods and schools. 1. The Pre-Qin period: This period included the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. It was the foundation period of ancient Chinese literature. His literary works included the Book of Songs, the Book of History, and the Book of Rites. 2. Qin and Han Dynasties: This period was an important period in the history of ancient Chinese literature, including two dynasties, the Western Han Dynasty and the Eastern Han Dynasty. His literary works included Chu Ci, Shi Ji, Han Shu, etc. 3. The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties: This period included the Three Kingdoms, the Jin, the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It was a transition period in the history of ancient Chinese literature. His literary works include "Wen Xuan,""Jin Shu,""Southern and Northern Dynasties Book" and so on. 4. Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties: This period was a prosperous period in the history of ancient Chinese literature, including the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty, as well as the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. His literary works included 300 Tang Poems, 300 Song Ci, and 300 Yuan Qu. There were also many important styles in these periods and schools, such as: 1. Poetry: There are many forms of ancient Chinese poetry, including five-character, seven-character, regular poems, quatrains, etc. Among them, the poems of Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and others in the Tang Dynasty were hailed as the peak of ancient Chinese poetry. 2. Prose: Ancient Chinese prose has various forms, including The Analects of Confucius, Mencius, Records of the Historian, Han Shu, etc. Among them, the prose of Han Yu and Ouyang Xiu of the Tang Dynasty was hailed as the peak of ancient Chinese prose. 3. Fictions: Ancient Chinese novels have various forms, including Water Margins, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, etc. Among them, the novels of Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and others in the Tang Dynasty were hailed as the peak of ancient Chinese novels. 4. Dramas: There are many forms of ancient Chinese dramas, including Water Margins, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, etc. Among them, the plays of Bai Juyi and others in the Tang Dynasty were hailed as the peak of ancient Chinese drama.

China's modern history could be divided into the following stages: 1. Late Paleolith to Xia Dynasty (2070 - 210 B.C.): The earliest human fossils found in China during this period marked the origin of human beings in China. 2 Xia Dynasty (210 - 206 B.C.): Xia Dynasty was the first feudal dynasty in China and established the political system of China. 3. Shang Dynasty (206 - 160 B.C.): The Shang Dynasty was a glorious period in Chinese history, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage. The Western Zhou Dynasty (160 - 771 B.C.): The Western Zhou Dynasty was an important period in Chinese history. The implementation of the abdication system of the Zhou emperor marked the beginning of China's feudal system. 5 Eastern Zhou Dynasty (771 B.C. -256 A.D.): The Eastern Zhou Dynasty was a period of division in Chinese history. The Spring and Autumn Period was dominated by vassals, and the Warring States Period was dominated by seven heroes. 6 Qin Dynasty (221 - 206): The Qin Dynasty unified the six countries and established China's first central state. The Western Han Dynasty (206 - 8 AD): The Western Han Dynasty was a prosperous period in Chinese history. The economy was prosperous and the culture developed. The Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 AD): The Eastern Han Dynasty was a short period of political turmoil and cultural prosperity in Chinese history. The period of the Three Kingdoms (220 - 280 AD): The period of the Three Kingdoms was a period of division in Chinese history. The three countries established their own political power. 10 Western Jin Dynasty (265 - 316 AD): The Western Jin Dynasty was a short period of political turmoil and cultural prosperity in Chinese history. Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420): The Eastern Jin Dynasty was a regime in Chinese history that marked the shift of the political, cultural, and economic center of gravity of southern China to the south. The Northern and Southern Dynasties (420 - 589): The Northern and Southern Dynasties was a period of division in Chinese history. The Northern and Southern Dynasties attacked each other and the culture flourished. Sui Dynasty (581 - 618): Sui Dynasty was a short period in Chinese history. Emperor Wen of Sui unified the Northern and Southern Dynasties and established the Sui Dynasty. 14 Tang Dynasty (618 - 907): The Tang Dynasty was a glorious period in Chinese history. The economy was prosperous and the culture developed. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907 - 960): The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period was a period of division in Chinese history. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms each established their own political power and culture flourished. 16 Song Dynasty (960 - 1279): The Song Dynasty was a glorious period in Chinese history. The economy was prosperous and the culture was developed. 17 Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368): The Yuan Dynasty was a short period in Chinese history with a vast territory and a prosperous culture. 18 Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644): The Ming Dynasty was an important period in Chinese history. The economy was prosperous and the culture was developed. 19 Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912): The Qing Dynasty was a short period in Chinese history. The economy was backward and the culture was declining. Modern History (1912 - 1949): This period was an important period in Chinese history. It experienced major events such as the 1911 Revolution, the May 4th Movement, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the War of Liberation. China's politics, economy, and culture had made great progress. The modern history of literature could be divided into the following stages: 1. The period of the Book of Songs (11th century B.C. -6th century B.C.): This period was the earliest period of poetry in China, represented by the Book of Songs. 2. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (6th century B.C. -221 B.C.): This period was a period of prosperity in Chinese history. There were hundreds of schools of thought such as Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism, etc. 3. Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C. -220 A.D.): The Qin and Han Dynasties were an important period in Chinese history. It was the time when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty perished. 4. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (220 - 589): This period was a period of cultural prosperity in Chinese history. Many excellent literary works appeared, such as the Book of Jin and the Book of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. 5 Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (589 - 1912): This period was a period of literary prosperity in Chinese history. Many famous literary works appeared, such as Tang poetry, Song prose, Yuan novels, and Ming opera.

Qing Dynasty literature can be divided into two main schools and multiple stages as follows: 1. Realist literature: Realist literature in the Qing Dynasty was one of the most important literary schools in the Qing Dynasty. Its representative works included "Dream of the Red Chamber","Journey to the West","Water Margins" and so on. The school emphasized social reality and human nature, and through describing the lives, emotions, and fates of the characters, it reflected the local customs and living conditions of the people at that time. 2. Traditional literature schools: The traditional literature schools of the Qing Dynasty were also an important part of the literature of the Qing Dynasty. Their representative works included The Scholars, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margins, etc. This school was featured by its emphasis on the plot and the shaping of the characters. It adopted the framework and language of the classic works to express its profound cultural heritage and historical accumulation. There were also some important works in many stages of Qing Dynasty literature, such as Qing History Manuscript, Official Records, Yuewei Cottage Notes, etc. In addition, the literature of the Qing Dynasty was also influenced by Western literature. For example, the works of William shakespeare had been introduced into China during the Qing Dynasty and became a reference for some literary schools.

Modern Chinese literature began to develop after the May 4th Movement in 1919. After experiencing different periods of development and changes, it formed its own unique literary style and characteristics. Modern Chinese literature could be divided into two periods: 1. New Literature Period: 1920s to 1949. The literature of this period was mainly divided into two schools: New Moon School and literary realism. The New Moon School advocated the pursuit of literature's democratic, scientific, and modern style, emphasizing realism and symbolism in poetry and prose, while literary realism focused on reflecting social reality and human nature, emphasizing realism and criticism in literature. 2. Modern Literature Period:1949 to the present. The literature of this period was mainly divided into two schools: the modern school and the literature's modern nature. The modernist school emphasized the autonomy, ideology and culture of literature, and pursued the modernness and self-expression of literature, while the modernist school emphasized the modernisation and the integration of literature, emphasizing the connection and interaction between literature and world literature. Modern Chinese literature could also be classified according to different standards and classification methods. For example, it could be categorized by literary genre, works, time, region, etc.

The history of Chinese literature is a subject that studies the development of Chinese literature. Chinese literature had a long history, which formed a variety of literary schools and works. Chinese literature has gone through many periods, including ancient literature, medieval literature, modern literature, modern literature, and contemporary literature. The ancient literature included the literature of the Pre-Qin Dynasty, the literature of the Qin and Han Dynasties, the literature of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the literature of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, and the literature of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The medieval literature was mainly the continuation of the ancient literature. The modern literature began in the first half of the 19th century, which was an important period in the history of Chinese literature. The modern literature began in the early 20th century, which was the development stage of the modern Chinese literature. The contemporary literature developed in the second half of the 20th century. There were many classics in Chinese literature, including Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Water Margins, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Scholars, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, and so on. These masterpieces not only made important contributions to the development of Chinese literature, but also had a profound impact on world literature. Chinese literature has many forms, including poetry, prose, novels, plays, Fu, rap, and so on. Among them, poetry is one of the representative art forms of Chinese literature, with unique aesthetic characteristics and artistic value. Prose was a literary form that expressed thoughts and feelings in the form of description, narration, and discussion. It was also an important part of Chinese literature. The novel is a literary form that represents the story of characters and social life. It is one of the representative works of Chinese literature. Dramas, on the other hand, were a literary form that mainly consisted of performances, plots, and characters. It was also an important part of Chinese literature. Fu was a form of traditional Chinese literature that focused on expressing emotions, narrating, and describing. Rap was a literary form that mainly consisted of rap, with unique musical and rhythmic characteristics. Chinese literature has a profound cultural background and artistic value, and it is an important part of human civilization.

The " Middle Ages " in literature and history were two different concepts. In history, the Middle Ages referred to a period in European history from about 500 to 1500 AD. This period was considered to be a period of major changes in European culture, politics, and social structure, including the rise of art and architectural styles such as the Religious Revolution, the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo. During this period, the feudal system gradually disintegrated and the capitalist production relations began to sprout. In literature, the Middle Ages referred to a period of European literature, usually from the 5th century to the 15th century. The literary works of this period were rich and varied, including poems, novels, plays, legends, and philosophical works. In this period, the main form of literature was poetry, especially medieval knight poetry and epics. In addition, novels were also important literary forms of this period, such as Don Quijote and One Hundred Years of Solitude. Although the division of the Middle Ages in history and literature was different, there was a close connection between the two periods. During this period, the development of literature and art was influenced by history and social environment, but also reflected the political, economic and cultural changes at that time.

Chinese classical literature could be divided into seven stages: 1. The period of the Book of Songs: from the 11th century to the 6th century. This is the earliest work in the history of Chinese literature, including a large number of poems and songs. 2. The period of Chu Ci: from the 6th century to the 3rd century B.C. This was the famous period of lyric poetry in the history of Chinese literature, during which many outstanding poets and writers emerged. 3. The Analects of Confucius Period: 5th century B.C. to 1st century B.C. This was an important period in the history of ancient Chinese thought. The words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples became an important part of ancient Chinese thought and culture. 4. The period of Tao Te Ching: 3rd to 1st century B.C. This was an important period in the history of ancient Chinese philosophy. Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching became one of the core works of ancient Chinese philosophy. 5. Dream of the Red Chamber: 18th to 19th century. This was the period of the famous long novel in the history of Chinese literature." Dream of the Red Chamber " was one of the representative works of this period. 6. Water Margins: 18th to 19th century. This was the period of the famous novel in the history of Chinese literature. Water Margins was one of the representative works of this period. 7 Journey to the West period: 18th century to 19th century. This was the period of the famous novel in the history of Chinese literature. Journey to the West was one of the representative works of this period.