The History of Modern Chinese Literature is a survey of the major writers of the first half of the twentieth century and their works in the context of the events witch transformed Chinese society in that period.

The themes of modern Chinese literature were quite different from those of the classics. The new literature explored such themes as peasants, women and intellectuals, as well as the urban problems of alienation and isolation, replacing the intrigues of the emperors, generals and scholars of classical literature.

The book tells about major modern Chinese writers such as Lu Xun, Guo Moruo, Mao Dun, Lao She, Ba Jin, Ai Qing, Ding Ling and Cao Yu. It also introduces lesser-known writers, so the reader has a guide to China's modern authors and their works. It gives an overview of the thirty-year period from the May Fourth Movement in 1919 to the Liberation in 1949, showing the events and ideologies that shaped modern Chinese literature. This historical and cultural framework helps the reader understand the themes and trends of contemporary Chinese literature.