Dissemination and Canonization of Popular Novels in JiangnanRegion of Ming and Qing Dynasties(PDF)
《南京师大学报》（社会科学版）[ISSN:1006-6977/CN:61-1281/TN]
- Issue:
- 2017年04期
- Page:
- 152-
- Research Field:
- 明清文学研究
- Publishing date:
Info
- Title:
- Dissemination and Canonization of Popular Novels in JiangnanRegion of Ming and Qing Dynasties
- Author(s):
- FENG Bao-shan
- Keywords:
- Jiangnan Region in Ming and Qing Dynasties; popular novels; dissemination; canonization
- PACS:
- -
- DOI:
- -
- Abstract:
- The canonization of popular novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties（ i.e. the texts that had beenoriginally ignored were regarded as the classics worthy of aesthetic examination） took place only after theywere acknowledged to form a legitimate literary genre and no longer held in“ low regard” as before. To thecanonization of popular novels in that period，the publishers in the Jiangnan region（ geographically areas in thelower reaches of the Changjiang River） made a great contribution，for they published the first edition and theedition with exquisite printing quality of such novels. This made the novels available to their readers at the righttime in a relatively unified form and consequently enabled them to become literary canons. Additionally，in theJiangnan region，some popular novels had already been well accepted and some famous ones even acquiredthe title of“ literary wonders” . The notion of“ literary wonders” clearly indicates that the great works offiction were discovered and at the same time fiction as a literary genre began to win public acknowledgement.Furthermore，the scholarly collection and criticism of popular novels in the Jiangnan region helped reveal theprofound meaning and artistic accomplishments embedded in such works，thus indicating the novels began tobe regarded as literary cannons. Therefore，the dissemination of popular novels in the Jiangnan region of theMing and Qing Dynasties is an important link in the canonization process of such novels and a literary eventwith tremendous historical significance.
Last Update: 2017-08-30