This book was written by Lu Hsun, pioneer and standard-bearer of modern Chinese literature, during the early 1920s. It is a study of the historical development of Chinese fiction from- early myths and legends, down to wall-developed long novels written at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Preface to the New Edition

Preface

1. The Historians' Accounts and Evaluations of Fiction

2. Myths and Legends

3. Works of Fiction Mentioned in "The Han Dynasty History"

4. Fiction Attributed to Hart Dynasty Writers

5. Tales of the Supernatural in the Six Dynasties

6. Tales of the Supernatural in the Six Dynasties (Continued)

7. Social Talk and Other Works

8. The Tang Dynasty Prose Romances

9. The Tang Dynasty Prose Romances (Continued)

10. Collections of Tang Dynasty Tales

11. Supernatural Tales and Prose Romances in the Sung Dynasty

12. Story-Tellers' Prompt-Books of the Sung Dynasty

13. Imitations of Prompt-Books in the Sung and Yuan Dynasties

14. Historical Romances of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties

15. Historical Romances of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties (Continued)

16. Ming Dynasty Novels About Gods and Devils

17. Ming Dynasty Novels About Gods and Devils (Continued)

18. Ming Dynasty Novels About Gods and Devils (Continued)

19. Novels of Manners in the Ming Dynasty

20. Novels of Manners in the Ming Dynasty (Continued)

21. Ming Dynasty Imitations of Sung Stories in the Vernacular

22. Imitations of Classical Tales in the Ching Dynasty

23. Novels of Social Satire in the Ching Dynasty

24. Novels of Manners in the Ching Dynasty

25. Novels of Erudition in the Ching Dynasty

26. Novels About Prostitution in the Ching Dynasty

27. Novels of Adventure and Detection in the Ching Dynasty

28. Novels of Exposure at the End of the Ching Dynasty

Postscript

Appendices:

The Historical Development of Chinese Fiction

Preface to the Japanese Edition

Index