Traditional history of contemporary Chinese literature developed its clear and smooth narration of literary history by selecting and rejecting historical objects according to a particular view of history. However, the objectivity, reality and believability of this sort of literary history meets with increasing doubt. The style of chronicles reestablishes a history closer to the original state and people’s trust in history without emphasizing the compiler’s function of personal choice or damaging the objectivity and affluence of the historical subject. Thus it rises in response to the proper time as the proper pattern of literary history at the turn of centuries. However, lacking in systematicness and integrity of historical narration, the traditional style of chronicles was trivial and scattered. Therefore, all other advantages should be adopted to reestablish a chronic pattern of “modern edition” of contemporary Chinese literature.

Chinese history of contemporary literature; style of chronicles; compilation of a literary history