Part I, The characteristics of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 1 Poetry is the mainstream / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 2 Upholding goodness / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 3 The spirit of optimism / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 4 The esthetics of conciseness / Yuan Xingpei -- Part II, The division of Chinese literature into time periods / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 5 The basis for division into time periods / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 6 The periods of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- Part III, The regional nature of Chinese literature and the geographical distribution of literary figures / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 7 The regional nature of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 8 The geographical distribution of Chinese writers / Yuan Xingpei -- Part IV, The categories of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 9 Court literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 10 Scholastic literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 11 Urban literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 12 Rural literature / Yuan Xingpei -- Part V, The allure of Chinese literature -- The presence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 13 Confucian poetic doctrine and Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 14 Chan Buddhism and Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 15 The naturalism of Laozi, Zhuangzi and Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- Part VI, The methods and media of the transmission of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 16 Oral and performance transmission / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 17 The invention of paper, copying, inscriptions and seeking preferment / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 18 The invention of printing and the diffusion of literary works / Yuan Xingpei -- Part VII, Appreciation of Chinese literature / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 19 Taste / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 20 The artistic mood / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 21 Focus / Yuan Xingpei -- chapter 22 Extensive gathering of knowledge / Yuan Xingpei.