Anthology, Criticism, and Canonization——An In-Depth Analysis of Ancient Chinese Literary Anthologies

The literary anthology is one of the key categories in ancient Chinese literary theory and criticism. Theoretically, anthology criticism focuses on three main areas: the preface and postscript, the annotation of the anthology, and the works selected for inclusion in the anthology. Anthology criticism is unique in its methodological synergy, including the direct and indirect communication of literary judgments and the amalgamation of critical theory and practice. This paper argues that the anthology as a form of literary criticism possesses great theoretical value; it sheds light on the development of literary concepts and forms, as well as suggesting the nature of literary transmission. Therefore, the literary anthology plays a key role in the canonization of Chinese literature.