Literature of China and the Warning States Period

Chinese Literature, writings of the Chinese people, with a continuous history of more than 3,000 years. It is the literature of a large multicultural area that became an empire in the 3rd century bc. This empire lasted until 1911, when the Republic of China was formed. Most of the literature prior to the 20th century was written or collected by officials who were part of the imperial system or by men educated as a part of this system. Chinese literature therefore has many connections with the history of China and with the major philosophical and religious beliefs of the society.

Poetry and essays were the major forms of Chinese literature prior to the 20th century. Yet over the centuries the Chinese also developed traditions of fiction and drama. While Chinese literature has adopted many literary forms from its wide contact with other cultures, all forms of Chinese literature, in turn, have had a major influence on the writings of Korea, Japan, and neighboring countries of Central and Southeast Asia.


The Warning States Period

The period of the Warring States begins in 403 bc, at the decline of the Zhou dynasty. During this time the Chinese empire shrinks and warlords struggle to forge new regional governments, especially in north China. The period is marked by the spread of cities and a shift toward more direct and centralized rule in the areas still controlled by the Zhou. Changes in the government and the economy make the clan less important, and the three-generation family becomes the primary unit of Chinese society. The bureaucracy grows and gains greater control over the peasantry, who must pay taxes directly to the government. Law codes and theories of governance develop to levels of great sophistication and exercise a strong influence on later governments.

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