This book compiles Professor Chen Yinchi’s lecture notes on the history of ancient Chinese literature, delivered at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Fudan University. It departs from the conventional narrative structure of literary history, presenting both a systematic view of literary traditions and a wealth of detail, offering a vivid record of university lectures. It spans vertically from the Pre-Qin period to modern times, while horizontally, it covers various literary genres, including rhyme, prose, poetry, and fiction. These weave a dynamic network that includes texts, authors, literary events, shifts in literary traditions, and reader reception, presenting the evolution of Chinese literary traditions. It integrates the works and insights of scholars both from China and abroad, with a strong literary passion running throughout. It challenges established views and presents original perspectives, such as the notion of three pivotal eras in Chinese literary history, the pursuit of expressive writing after early literature diverged from music, the transformation of Tang and Song literature into modern literary forms, and a portrayal of the multiple facets of literary transformation in modern China. The book not only makes significant academic contributions but also serves the purpose of popularizing traditional Chinese literature.