This is a collection of Chinese literary

gems, comptete or extracts from larger

works, created between the Ming Dynas-

ty (14th to I7th century) and the era of

Mao Zedong, which ended with his death

in 1976. Translated into English by a

master of the art, their tightly constructed

plots and subtle characterizations dispel

the strangeness of a distant land and

different culture. The human qualities of

their personae seem remarkabty familiar.

Selections from China's most famous and

best-loved fictioh are divided into four

time frames. "Feudal Fiction' is represent-

ed by Outlaws of the Marsh, the great

picaresque classic novel. "War and Revo-

lution' reflects the angry striking-back of

an outraged people against domestic

tyranny and foreign invasion. Transition'

graphically describes China's intellectual

ferment and ethical conflicts in an era of

revolution. Satiric Verse' gives a glimpse

of what bitterly sardonic poets were writ-

ing during the early twentieth century.

SAMPLER is being hailed as an introduc-

tion to models of China's finest fiction,

admired for their high literary quality and

for their vivid illumination of Chinese his-

tory.