This is the foundational work of Modern Chinese Literature studies. Hsia carved out a path for the field with this book. Firmly rooted in New Criticism, Hsia is strongly opinionated and lambasts and uplifts works unashamedly (a bit refreshing in comparison to more contemporary scholarship). He was also staunchly anti-communist, which is none to subtle here. For those interested in the field this is a first, but definitely not last, step.
Contains literary analyses of several Chinese writers, such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, and Eileen Chang, dating from the Literary Revolution (1917-1927) to the rise of Communism (1928-1957).