This book focuses on the synthetic and overall study of the history of literary theory, history of art or history of literary critics. Firstly, it proves itself a good combination of the history of thoughts of literature as well as thoughts of art. This book manages to break the barrier barring the two categories of literature and art apart by regarding the literature and art as the expressive form of the leading artistic spirit or aesthetic taste of one period. Secondly, the book makes itself a unification of history of thoughts in general and thoughts of fine arts. The book puts the thoughts of literature and art into the integral structure of social thoughts and ideas, to disclose the mutual fusion and combination of the thoughts of literature and art with the other and to observe the profound implications of the literary thoughts in a circumstance of intertextual interpretation. Thirdly, this book is also a good mixture of general history and monographic study. In another word, this book displays itself as an overview of the history of thoughts in the one hand and constantly probes into particular topics as monograph in the other hand. This book is designed to outline the general thoughts of literature and art for learners in this field and to provide particular topics for researchers who endeavor to acquire featured observation in history of literature or art in Pre-Qin period. The original scale of the book was about 1 million Chinese characters, and now it is abridged to 300 thousand characters.

Forms a good combination of the Chinese history of thoughts of literature as well as thoughts of art Provides a perfect unification of history of thoughts in general and thoughts of fine arts Displays a vivid mixture of general history and monographic study

Autorentext

Li Chunqing, born in 1955, was a professor of School of Literature and Arts, South China Normal University. He was chair of Center for Literature and Arts, Beijing Normal University, and a deputy president of the School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University. Also, he is a director of Committee of Chinese and Foreign Literary Theory and a director of Academic Committee of Marxism Literary Theory of China. As a distinguished scholar in literary theory in China, he directed series of major academic projects funded by the Office of National Social Sciences and published over 15 books as first author or editor.

Li Shan, born in 1963, was a professor of School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University and a distinguished scholar of classic Chinese Literature, especially in the research in the Analects and history of culture of China. Publishing over 50 articles in the fields of classical literature, he was also invited as guest speaker for the Forum of Distinguished Scholar of CCTV for two well-known lectures.

Guo Changbao, born in 1964, was a deputy president of Hebei University and also director of Center of Classical Philology of China, School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University. He was a president of the School of Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University, and a chief director of the National Social Sciences in major projects foundation of the Ministry of Education, China. Publishing over 20 books and textbooks, 100 articles in the field of classic literature, professor Guo is distinguished scholar in classical philology and literature of China.

Inhalt
Aesthetic phenomena in the age of pottery.- Aesthetic thoughts in prehistoric religion.- Divine birds and jades.- The implication of Taotie and its rise and fall.- The Sanxingdui and its artistic spirit.- Some key facts in the study of myths in Pre-Qin period.- The primitive thoughts in the mythical world and their artistic highlights.- The formation of myths of Dominion of ancient China and its cultural significance.- A sketch of culture of rites and music in Shang and Zhou dynasty.- The pursuit in art displayed in the culture of rites and music.- The creations in art in the culture of rites and music in Zhou dynasty.- The artistic styles in the culture of rites and music in Zhou dynasty.- The artistic performance in the culture of rites and music in Zhou dynasty.- The primitive artistic spirit in the culture of rites and music in Zhou dynasty and its influence to the posterities.- The life styles of aristocrats in Zhou dynasty and the artistic spirit.- The pursuit in art imbedded in utensils.- The life styles and aesthetic pursuits of aristocrats displayed by the Book of Songs .- The fall of the ritual lives and the evolution of artistic spirit of aristocrats.- The crisis of hierarchy and ritual system and the aesthetic activities in Spring and Autumn period.- The decline of aristocrats and the rise of spirit of secular art.- From culture of rites and music to Confucian theory.- The cultural implications in Shi yan zhi, Fu shi and Yin shi.- The artistic thoughts of Confucious.- The artistic thoughts of Menfucious.- The artistic thoughts of Xunzi.- The structure of the nationality of Chu and its cultural types.- The cultural inclusiveness and conflictions in kingdom Chu.- The secular feelings and transcendent spirit in the rites of Chu.- The ego and the world in painting, sculptures and handicrafts.- The formation of Chuci and its literary functions.- The culture of Chuci and its artistic spirit.- The Dao of Laozi and Zhuangzi that leads to artistic spirit.- The debate on Yan/Yi, Xu/Shi and the vacancy in art.- Xujing and the psychology of art creation in classic China.- The acknowledgment of reverting and the degenerating view on literary and artistic history in China.