Sinologist Nurhalyk Abdyrakyn Publishes Three Books Systematizing Chinese Literature from Antiquity to the Modern Era

Three new books by PhD  of the Department of Sinology at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Nurhalyk Abdyrakyn, have been published by the Faculty of Oriental Studies.

The first volume of this scholarly monograph offers a comprehensive and detailed analysis of ancient Chinese literature. The author examines literary works from all imperial dynasties, providing excerpts from original texts in Classical Chinese along with translations. The work is intended for researchers in Sinology as well as general readers interested in literature. The book thoroughly explores the early period (上古), the middle ancient period (中古), and the late ancient period (近古) of Chinese literary history.

The second volume covers the era from the Opium Wars (1840) to the Russian October Revolution, as well as Chinese literature from 1917 to 1949.

The third volume focuses on contemporary Chinese literature during the period of reform and opening-up (1978–2025), when literature experienced unprecedented freedom. After 1978, the “scar literature” (伤痕文学) movement emerged, represented by works such as Liu Xinwu’s The Class Teacher and Lu Xinhua’s Scar, which highlighted the human consequences of the Cultural Revolution. Later came “reflection literature” (反思文学), aimed at examining the deeper causes of past events, and “reform literature” (改革文学), which analyzed new social transformations.

These currents broke through historical and ideological boundaries; “misty poetry” (朦胧诗) reshaped the individual voice through modernist aesthetics. Writers such as Lu Yao, Chen Zhongshi, and Jia Pingwa advanced realism, while Mo Yan, Yu Hua, Su Tong, and Can Xue expanded the “avant-garde literature” movement, introducing innovative narrative techniques and new approaches to the novel.

Since the 1990s, the rise of the market economy has led to the diversification of literary genres, including urban prose, women’s writing, and science fiction. Literature sought both authenticity and new artistic expressions.

In the 21st century, Chinese literature has become increasingly open and hybrid. The Nobel Prizes awarded to Gao Xingjian (2000) and Mo Yan (2012) signify its global recognition. The success of works like The Three-Body Problem reflects its strong international resonance and insightful exploration of cultural and civilizational tensions.