This book mainly addresses the position, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in the history of Chinese literature. Divided into 14 chapters, it systematically covers central aspects of folklore literature such as ballads, folk songs, Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu, and so on from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties, filling several gaps in literary history studies. It is a comprehensive literary work, and many of the materials cited here are rare and difficult to find. In addition, the book proposes some important theories, especially six highly generalized qualities of folk literature, namely that it is: popular, collective, oral, fresh, effusive, and innovative.

With detailed, extensive materials, and quotations, the book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It is mutually complementary with Guowei Wang¿s A Textual Research of the Traditional Chinese Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and Xun Lüs A Brief History of Chinese Fiction; all three works are regarded as the most essential classics for researching the history of Chinese literature.

Chapter 1  What Is Folk Literature?.- Chapter 2  Ancient Ballads.- Chapter 3  Folk Literature in the Han Dynasty.- Chapter 4  Folk Songs in the Six Dynasties.- Chapter 5  Odes and Songs in the Tang Dynasty.- Chapter 6  Bianwen, a Popular Form of Literature in the Tang Dynasty.- Chapter 7  Zajuci, a Popular Literary Form in the Song and Jin Periods.- Chapter 8  Guzici and Zhugongdiao, Popular Literary Forms Featured with Singing and Saying.- Chapter 9  Sanqu, A Type of Verse in the Yuan Dynasty.- Chapter 10  Folk Songs in the Ming Dynasty.- Chapter 11  Baojuan, a Literary Form Featured with Story-telling and Singing.- Chapter 12  Tanci, a Literary Form Featured with Story-telling to the Accompaniment of Stringed Instrument.- Chapter 13  Guci and Zidishu, Popular Literary Forms in the Ming and Qing Dynasties .- Chapter 14  Folk Songs in the Qing Dynasty.- Academical Chronology of Zheng Zhenduo.- Zheng Zhenduo and His History of Chinese Folk Literature.

Zhenduo Zheng (1898-1958), an eminent patriot, social activist, writer, and scholar in modern China, served as a professor of Chinese at Yenching University and Tsinghua University, and as a dean of the School of Literature at Ji'nan University. Beginning in 1949, Zhenduo Zheng served as the vice-minister of Culture and Secretary of the Cultural Heritage Bureau, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, director of the Institutes of Literature Research and Archeology, and member of the National Committee of the CPPCC.