\tIn this definition it follows the traditional Chinese classification, the four categories. This traditional system is not able to include all kinds of writings.<\/p>\n
\tThe word "literature" has two meanings. In a narrower sense it means belles-lettres, writings done with a purpose of entermainment, leisure, self-expression, and so on, like poems, novels, letters, or diaries. In a broader sense, like it is treated here, "literature" means everything that has been written, including philosophical writings, scientific treatises, political writings, geography, inscriptions on tomb stones, or documents of court politics.<\/p>\n
\tNewspapers and journals, for example, find no place in it, because they were totally unknown in traditional China. Novels and romances are also dealt negligently with, as being an inferior stlye of writing. It is therefore necessary to provide several different "search tools" for my readers:<\/p>\n
\tAs far as possible I have tried to translate all the titles referred to in this encyclopedia. Some of these translations might be not accurate because one would first have to read the whole book before understanding what the title exactly means. I apologize for this imperfectness.<\/p>\n
\tThere is a not very small problem with the aggregation of syllables in the transcription of the book titles in the Pinyin transcription. For myself I have developed the following rules although in some points they are not very satisfactorily.<\/p>\n
\tSome rules for the aggregation of syllables in book titles:<\/strong><\/p>\n \tExceptions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n