Min Wang's book is a unique contribution to Chinese studies. Starting with a detailed survey of dozens of histories of Chinese literature authored in the past century by Chinese, Japanese, and Western scholars, she applies a highly sophisticated analysis to what she calls "literary historiography." She proceeds in the bulk of the book to a close consideration of Stephen Owen's particular innovations in this field, focusing on an abundance of specific textual examples. This book sets a new standard for literary meta-history in Sinology.

Paul W. Kroll

Professor of Chinese

University of Colorado

Paul W. Kroll

Professor of Chinese

University of Colorado

Autorentext
Wang Min, Ph. D., Lecturer of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, member of the Modern Language Association of America, visiting scholars of Harvard University (USA) and Lancaster University (UK). Her research interests include literary historiography, Chinese literature and sinology. Published widely in national and international journals and conferences, she is the winners of the National Grant of Overseas Research Program by China Scholarship Council and SMC Distinguished Young Scholar Award.

Zusammenfassung
This book mainly discusses about the alter ego perspectives in literary historiography. This comparative analysis of the major Chinese literary histories in China and in the West brings to light the alter ego perspectives of Stephen Owen in literary historiography. The most interesting part of the book will be the interpretation of new notions and perspectives proposed by Stephen Owen, especially in the newly published The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature (2010). This book gives a detailed overview about the different stages of writing Chinese literary history and the different modes of literary historiography in China and in the West. Two case studies of Chinese poems are made on the notion of discursive communities and the Cultural Tang. Readers will a better understanding about the paradigm of literary historiography and the interrelationships between the different modes of literary historiography and the intellectual history.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: An Overview of Chinese Literary History.- Chapter 3: The Notion of Discursive Communities: A Case Study of Huaigu Poems.- Chapter 4: The Cultural Tang and Temple Visiting Poems.- Chapter 5: The Alter Ego Perspectives and Literary Historiography.