中國文學在文字誕生之前就已經產生了,從有文字記載的歷史來看,中國古代文學已經走過了3000多年的歷程,在如此漫長的不中斷的發展歷程中,中國文學高峰迭起,瑰麗璀璨,堪稱人類文化史上少有之奇觀,與此同時,中國古代文學又具有很強的穩定性和連續性,其中有些文體(例如散文)更是綿延2000年之久。
Chinese literature had already been in existence prior to the birth of written language. According to the recorded history with written characters, ancient Chinese literature has gone through a history of more than 3.000 years. During such lengthy and uninterrupted development, Chinese literature has witnessed one peak after another, sprouting up outstanding writers and works, making it a rare wonder in the history of human culture. Simultaneously, ancient Chinese literature exhibits remarkable stability and continuity, with some literary genres (such as prose) enduring for over 2,000 years.