Events in Chinese History that Influenced Literature

First Chinese Literature Piece

1400 BCE

The earliest evidence of Chinese literature was actually engraved into Oracle bones.The modern Chinese script called 'Shang Script', was carved into animal bones and turtle shells. This was the earliest known writing discovered in Chinese literature.

Chinese Poems

1000 BCE

Chinese Poems were part of the collection of literature first discovered. 'The Classic of Poetry' is a small collection of the oldest existing Chinese poems. There were many types of poems, and they all were written for different reasons.

Confucius

551 BCE

Confucius was a Chinese elder that taught valuable life lessons through literature. He would preach for his beliefs in the world and express them openly to others. He valued loyalty, honesty, and to respect your elders. His words greatly impacted and inspired people so his words were recorded to later be shared with future generations called Analects.

Taoism

500 BCE

Taoism is the Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu. It helped advocate for humility and religion. Taoism influenced Literature in the sense that it allowed writers to find ourpose in writing and emotion.

T'ao Ch'iens Birth

365 BCE

T'ao Ch'ien was a significant poet in Chinese Literature. His birth marked a time of true creativity in the literature world. He specialized in lyric poetry, which became increasingly more popular throughout the era. He projected feelings described as warmth, humanity, and his own personal vulnerability throughout his written work. He was well educated for his time and understood life better than most wise people in the era.

First Chinese Dictionary

100 BCE

The first Chinese Dictionary was originally written by the famous Chinese scholar, Xu Shen, titled 'Shuo Wen Jie Tzi'. The dictionary itself was made up of 540 radicals that were originally arranged by "boo shou". The dictionary was not extensive in length but was a start in literature.

Important Piece of Chinese Literature Published

May 11, 868

The first book in Chinese Literature published was titled 'Diamond Sutra'. This was a significant event in Chinese Literature because it set the standard for all the published books following it. This book relates directly to the religion of Buddism and it's founding principles.

The Use of Song Lyrics in Literature

Dec 24, 900

As the Chinese Eras grew, song lyrics became quite popular to use in literature of all types. Song lyrics became a poetic and emotional way to connect with readers of the literature. For example, Tz'u was a type of song lyric most commonly sung by female entertainers to show emotional depth.