Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Literature

Extract

In the Chinese tradition, fiction was, for a long time, generally considered to be lowbrow and trivial as a literary genre. The Chinese term for fiction, xiao shuo (literally “small talk”), was used as early as in the Monograph on Arts in the History of the Han , a work from the first century ce , during China's Early Imperial Period, where it was defined as “street gossip, talk of the town, and hearsay from travelers,” and those who engaged in the composition of xiao shuo were placed at the very last in the categorization of authors. Over many centuries, a large variety of miscellaneous writings fell under the genre of xiao shuo , or fiction, including mythology , fable, anecdote, and the supernatural tale. Compared to other forms of fiction, the novel was a latecomer in the Chinese tradition, as it remained unknown until the end of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), the first of two imperial Chinese dynasties when the Chinese people were governed by an ethnic minority. From the beginning of their rule, the Mongol monarchs abolished the civil service examinations, which had been a major channel for the educated Chinese to get appointed in government since the Sui Dynasty (589–618). Even when the examinations were resumed later, they had lost their significance to the learned Chinese who were thus marginalized in society, as they found little use for their literary talent ... log in or subscribe to read full text