The Birth of Twentieth-century Chinese Literature ─ Revolutions in Language, History, and Culture

This study makes a linguistic case for the twentieth century revolution in Chinese language and literature. It offers a history of reform and change in the Chinese language throughout the country’s history, and focuses on the concept of ‘baihua’, a language reform movement championed by Hu Shi and other scholars which laid the foundation for the May fourth New Literature Movement, the larger New Culture Movement and which now defines modern Chinese. Examining the differences between classical and modern Chinese language systems alongside an investigation into the relevance and impact of translation in this language revolution - notably addressing the pivotal role of May Fourth leader Lu Xun - this book provides a rare insight into the evolution of the Chinese language and those who championed its development.

Dr. Yu Gao is Professor of Chinese at Zhejiang Normal University, author and co-author of more than 20 books including History of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature and Reflections on Literary Issues, and A Discursive Approach to Literary Issues. He has published hundreds of articles on Chinese and foreign literature.

Dr. Guicang Li is Professor of English at Zhejiang Normal University, author of Championing Chinese Ethnicity: Sui Sin Far and Her Writing, and The Weight of Culture: Contemporary Chinese American Literature and Chinese American Identity, and translator of many books including Ursula Heise’s Sense of Place and Sense of Planet.