Chinese Literature, 1900 to the present

Literary/ Cultural Context Essay

Bonnie S. McDougall (Chinese University of Hong Kong)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 10.2.1.02: Chinese Writing and Culture: Modern and Contemporary, 1900-present.

Domains

Literature Topic

Dates

Date of occurrence 1900-2006

Places

China (Location)

Resources

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Introduction

The history of Chinese literature in the 20^th century can be described as a series of challenges posed by its writers to its readers and to each other: to view the past as a burden that impedes a creative response to the present; to view China's modernisation as an opportunity to contribute to the country's modernity; to view the present as a disastrous retreat from the glorious culture and civilisation of the past two millennia; to seize a unique moment in China's history for self-development and literary experiment; to take advantage of the fact that the present, like the past, provides the educated elite with a salaried office from which to exercise social and moral leadership.

When the Republic of China was established in 1911, the literary scene was an undetermined field where no...

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3036 words

Citation: McDougall, Bonnie S.. "Chinese Literature, 1900 to the present". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 August 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1676, accessed 09 June 2026.]