Hu Shi's Research of Classical Chinese Novels

Hu Shi's research of classical Chinese novels is purely academic,which could be seen from his traditional academic grounding in his textual research.However,Hu's research was not confined to textual research;instead,his research also involved foreign elements at the text level,called narration.Hu's interest in narration was shown in his construction of a vernacular literary system.Classical novels,as the most important part in the vernacular literary history,could prompt the construction and popularization of the new literature with their vernacular narration.Thus,the research of classical novels is no longer purely academic;it can reveal the historical idea of the birth of modern Chinese literature.