How to define ancient Chinese literature
Ancient Chinese literature referred to the literature forms in Chinese history, such as poetry, prose, novels, and operas. They originated from the pre-Qin period and developed to the peak of the Tang Dynasty. After that, they experienced the decline and reconstruction of many dynasties such as the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. They still had a wide and far-reaching influence until modern times. Ancient Chinese literature was featured by its variety, subject matter, and style. Among them, poetry, prose, and novels were the main representatives of ancient Chinese literature. The main works of ancient Chinese literature include poetry, prose, novels, and operas. Among them, poems express emotions and thoughts in the form of lyricism, narration, and discussion. Prose express the author's thoughts and views in the form of discussion, description, and lyricism. Fictions express the plot and characters in the form of description, narration, and discussion. The representative works of ancient Chinese literature include The Book of Songs, The Songs of Chu, The Analects of Confucius, Mencius, Tao Te Ching, Journey to the West, Dream of the Red Chamber, etc. These works not only have profound ideology and rich cultural content, but also have unique artistic charm and literary value, which have a profound impact on the inheritance and development of Chinese culture.
