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Chinese Literature Magazine
Chinese Literature was an English-language magazine of Chinese literature in translation, which also often included paintings by Chinese artists. It was founded in 1951 by Yeh Chun-chan (叶君健), Sidney Shapiro, Yang Xianyi, and Gladys Yang, and had its headquarters in Beijing. In 1956 publication of the magazine was taken over by the government-run Foreign Languages Press. It ceased publication at the end of 2000, though its website posted some new material for a while after that.
Chinese Literature began as a quarterly publication in October 1951, was a bi-monthly (6 issues) in 1958, was a monthly magazine from 1959 through 1983, then a quarterly again from 1984 through 1999. In its final year of publication, in 2000, it was once again a bi-monthly. According to the Wikipedia, over 2000 writers and artists were featured in its issues.
In 1964 a quarterly edition in French was also added (Littérature chinoise). We don’t know when the French edition ceased publication.
If you have any of the missing issues below and are willing to donate, loan or sell them, we would like to obtain them for scanning and posting. Please contact us at: freespeech@bannedthought.net
1951-1952:
- [None yet available.]
1953:
- # 1 — Spring, 324 pages. Searchable PDF format [29,445 KB]
- # 2 — Summer, 158 pages. Searchable PDF format [16,252 KB]
1954:
- # 1 — Spring, 182 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,290 KB]
- # 2 — Summer, 246 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,517 KB]
- # 3 — Autumn, 184 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,853 KB]
- # 4 — Winter, 218 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,794 KB]
1955:
- # 1 — Spring, 216 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,176 KB]
- # 2 — Summer, 194 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,485 KB]
- # 3 — Autumn, 186 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,602 KB]
- # 4 — Winter, 186 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,336 KB]
1956:
- # 3 — Autumn, 231 pages. Searchable PDF format [21,277 KB]
- # 4 — Winter, 268 pages. Searchable PDF format [37,575 KB] Includes:
- Several stories by Lu Hsun.
- A series of wood engravings commemorating the 20th anniversary of the death of Lu Hsun.
- Stories by young writers in Sinkiang.
- Other stories and materials.
- Index for 1956 issues.
1957:
- # 1 — Spring, 229 pages. Searchable PDF format [31,175 KB]
- # 2 — Summer, 250 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,887 KB]
- # 3 — Autumn, 236 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,665 KB]
- # 4 — Winter, 212 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,742 KB]
1958:
- # 1 — January-February, 186 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,422 KB]
- # 2 — March-April, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,319 KB]
- # 3 — May-June, 178 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,844 KB]
- # 4 — July-August, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,703 KB]
- # 5 — September-October, 158 pages. Searchable PDF format [53,658 KB - large] [Yellowed paper — our apologies.]
- Supplement: “Oppose U.S.-British Interference in the Internal Affairs of the Arab Countries”, against imperialist military intervention in Lebanon, Iraq, and other countries, 20 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,448 KB]
- # 6 — November-December, 194 pages. Searchable PDF format [59,638 KB - large] [Yellowed paper — our apologies.]
- Supplement: “Statement of Chou En-lai ... on the Situation in the Taiwan Straits Area”, and two related documents, 8 pages. Searchable PDF format [3,170 KB]
1959:
- # 1 — January, 258 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,083 KB]
- # 2 — February, 232 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,179 KB]
- # 3 — March, 182 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,334 KB]
- # 4 — April, 158 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,824 KB]
- # 5 — May, 182 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,054 KB]
- # 6 — June, 163 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,437 KB]
- # 7 — July, 184 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,280 KB]
- # 8 — August, 166 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,459 KB]
- # 9 — September, 152 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,154 KB]
- #10 — October, 168 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,788 KB]
- #11 — November, 164 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,856 KB]
- #12 — December, 186 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,743 KB]
1960:
- # 1 — January. [Not yet available.]
- # 2 — February, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,317 KB]
- # 3 — March, 150 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,218 KB]
- # 4 — April, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,398 KB]
- # 5 — May, 148 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,636 KB]
- # 6 — June, 162 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,159 KB]
- # 7 — July, 166 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,233 KB]
- # 8 — August, 176 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,968 KB]
- # 9 — September, 216 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,288 KB]
- #10 — October, 206 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,722 KB]
- #11 — November, 170 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,743 KB]
- #12 — December, 216 pages. (Cover and a few pages have some water damage; our apologies.) Searchable PDF format [8,433 KB]
1961:
- # 1 — January, 198 pages. Searchable PDF format [11,561 KB]
1962:
- [None yet available.]
1963:
- # 7 — July, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,722 KB]
- # 8 — August, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,342 KB]
- # 9 — September, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,064 KB]
- #10 — October, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,042 KB]
- #11 — November, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,075 KB]
- #12 — December, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,671 KB]
1964:
- # 1 — January, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,543 KB]
- # 2 — February, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,917 KB]
1965:
- # 1 — January, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [3,955 KB]
- # 2 — February, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [4,649 KB]
- #12 — December, 210 pages. (Internet Archive scan; darkened paper.) Searchable PDF format [6,749 KB]
1966:
- # 1 — January, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,341 KB]
- # 6 — June, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,577 KB]
- # 8 — August, 162 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,990 KB]
- #10 — October, 180 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,317 KB]
- #11 — November, 139 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,797 KB]
- #12 — December, 147 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,105 KB]
1967:
- # 1 — January, 162 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,957 KB]
- # 2 — February. [Not yet available.]
- # 3 — March, 158 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,706 KB]
- # 4 — April, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,842 KB]
- Includes articles and a photo spread about the improved clay sculptures in the famous “Rent Collection Courtyard” collection.
- #5-6 — May-June, 200 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,788 KB]
- # 7 — July, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,545 KB]
- # 8 — August, 226 pages. Searchable PDF format [12,118 KB]
- Special issue commemorating the 25th anniversary of Chairman Mao’s “Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art”.
- Also includes: “Taking the Bandits’ Stronghold” [Model Peking Opera] (Script and 12-page set of color photos.)
- # 9 — September, 208 pages. Searchable PDF format [11,840 KB]
- #10 — October, 163 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,540 KB]
- Includes: “Raid on the White Tiger Regiment”, a modern Peking Opera (script plus 8 color pages of a performance).
- #11 — November, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,635 KB]
- Includes: “Shachiapang”, a revolutionary Peking Opera (script plus 8 color pages of a performance).
- #12 — December, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,356 KB]
1968:
- # 1 — January, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,663 KB] [Complete with plates.]
- # 2 — February, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,809 KB]
- # 3 — March, 172 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,866 KB]
- # 4 — April, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,512 KB]
- # 5 — May, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,605 KB]
- # 6 — June, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,951 KB]
- #7-8 — July-August, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,881 KB]
- # 9 — September. [Not yet available.]
- #10 — October, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,303 KB]
- #11 — November, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,048 KB]
- Supplement: “Communique of the Enlarged 12th Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China”, Adopted on October 31, 1968, 12 pages. Searchable PDF format [600 KB]
- #12 — December, 139 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,542 KB]
1969:
- # 1 — January, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,531 KB]
- Includes: “On the Docks”, a revolutionary model Peking Opera (script plus 8 color pages of stage photographs).
- # 2 — February. [Not yet available.]
- # 3 — March, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,134 KB]
- # 4 — April, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,078 KB]
- Supplement: “Press Communique of the Secretariat of the Presidium of the Ninth National Congress of the Communist Party of China”, April 1, 1969, 1 large page. Searchable PDF format [1,172 KB]
- Supplement: Fold-out photo of the newly-built Yangtse River Bridge at Nanking. PDF format [595 KB]
- # 5 — May, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,366 KB]
- Supplement: “Press Communique of the Secretariat of the Presidium of the Ninth National Congress of the Communist Party of China”, April 24, 1969, 2 large pages. Searchable PDF format [2,357 KB]
- # 6 — June, 123 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,608 KB]
- # 7 — July, 195 pages. Searchable PDF format [10,361 KB]
- Includes documents of the 9th National Congress of the CCP.
- # 8 — August. [Not yet available.]
- # 9 — September, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,037 KB]
- #10 — October, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,387 KB]
- #11-12 — November-December, 178 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,847 KB]
1970:
- # 1 — January. [Not yet available.]
- # 2 — February, 124 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,818 KB]
- # 3 — March, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,937 KB]
- # 4 — April, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,687 KB]
- # 5 — May, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,422 KB]
- Supplement: “China Successfully Launches Its First Man-Made Earth Satellite”, press communique, April 25, 1970, 1 large page. PDF format [203 KB]
- # 6 — June, 150 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,644 KB]
- Supplement: “People of the World, Unite and Defeat the U.S. Aggressors and All Their Running Dogs!”, statement by Mao Tsetung, May 20, 1970, 4 pages. PDF format [149 KB]
- # 7 — July. [Not yet available.]
- # 8 — August, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,606 KB]
- Includes: “The Red Lantern” (May 1970 script) plus 12-page set of color stage photographs.
- # 9 — September, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,769 KB]
- #10 — October, 112 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,673 KB]
- #11 — November. [Not yet available.]
- #12 — December. [Not yet available.]
1971:
- # 1 — January. [Not yet available.]
- # 2 — February, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,230 KB]
- # 3 — March, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,214 KB]
- # 4 — April, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,474 KB]
- # 5 — May, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,500 KB]
- # 6 — June, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,687 KB]
- Includes articles and photographs celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Paris Commune.
- # 7 — July, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,403 KB]
- # 8 — August, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,337 KB]
- # 9 — September. [Not yet available.]
- #10 — October, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,917 KB]
- #11 — November, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,952 KB]
- Includes a 20-page section of color photos of historical relics unearthed during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.
- #12 — December, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,243 KB]
1972:
- # 1 — January, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,133 KB]
- # 2 — February, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,029 KB]
- # 3 — March, 124 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,613 KB]
- # 4 — April, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,262 KB]
- # 5 — May, 180 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,678 KB] Includes:
- “Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art”, by Mao Tsetung.
- “On the Docks” [Model Peking Opera] (January 1972 script.)
- Two commentaries on Mao’s “Talks at the Yenan Forum...”
- Other stories and articles.
- # 6 — June, 146 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,023 KB]
- # 7 — July, 168 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,668 KB]
- # 8 — August, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,301 KB]
- # 9 — September, 156 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,351 KB]
- #10 — October, 160 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,592 KB]
- #11 — November, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,475 KB]
- #12 — December, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,082 KB]
1973:
- # 1 — January, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,805 KB]
- # 2 — February, 116 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,861 KB] Has a small amount of underlining.
- # 3 — March, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,617 KB] Includes:
- “Raid On the White Tiger Regiment” [Modern Revolutionary Peking Opera] (Sept. 1972 script), with 8 pages of color photos of a stage production.
- # 4 — April, 116 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,392 KB]
- # 5 — May, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,038 KB]
- # 6 — June, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,615 KB]
- # 7 — July, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,996 KB]
- # 8 — August, 164 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,435 KB]
- # 9 — September, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,342 KB]
- #10 — October, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,009 KB]
- #11 — November, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,376 KB]
- #12 — December, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,997 KB]
1974:
- # 1 — January, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,000 KB] Featuring:
- “Azalea Mountain” [Modern Revolutionary Peking Opera] (Sept. 1973 script), with 12 pages of color photos of a stage production.
- # 2 — February, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,662 KB]
- # 3 — March, 142 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,991 KB]
- # 4 — April, 118 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,147 KB]
- # 5 — May, 150 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,783 KB] Includes:
- “Fighting on the Plain” [Modern Revolutionary Peking Opera] (July 1973 script). This issue also includes an 8-page supplement of color photos of a stage production of this opera, which was inserted between pages 4 and 5 of the magazine.
- # 6 — June, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,661 KB]
- # 7 — July, 114 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,635 KB]
- # 8 — August, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,332 KB]
- # 9 — September, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,060 KB]
- #10 — October, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,764 KB]
- #11 — November, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,833 KB]
- #12 — December, 112 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,790 KB]
1975:
- # 1 — January, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,553 KB]
- # 2 — February, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,032 KB] Featuring:
- “Sparkling Red Star” [revolutionary film]. The film scenario together with several articles about the film and a 16-page section of color photographs of scenes in the film.
- # 3 — March, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,225 KB]
- # 4 — April, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,006 KB]
- # 5 — May, 106 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,441 KB]
- # 6 — June, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,737 KB]
- # 7 — July, 128 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,812 KB]
- # 8 — August, 122 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,846 KB]
- # 9 — September, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,901 KB] Featuring:
- “Ode to the Yimeng Mountains”, a revolutionary dance drama, 8-page section of color photographs of scenes in a performance.
- #10 — October, 124 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,707 KB]
- #11 — November, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,724 KB]
- #12 — December, 114 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,929 KB]
1976:
!-- 70 KB -->
- # 1 — January, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,972 KB]
- # 2 — February, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,224 KB]
- # 3 — March, 124 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,911 KB]
- # 4 — April, 156 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,852 KB] Featuring:
- A collection of 36 poems by Mao Tsetung.
- “Boulder Bay”, a modern revolutionary Peking opera: Script (May 1975); an 8-page section of color photographs of scenes from a performance; and an article about this opera.
- # 5 — May, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,723 KB]
- # 6 — June, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,299 KB]
- # 7 — July, 142 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,844 KB]
- # 8 — August, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,967 KB]
- # 9 — September, 148 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,484 KB] Featuring:
- “Investigation of a Chair”, a modern revolutionary Peking opera: Script (December 1975); a 4-page section of color photographs of scenes from a performance; and an article about this opera.
- “The Undaunted”, a story by Chen Chung-shih.
- Poems from Hsiaochinchuang.
- #10 — October, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,946 KB] Featuring:
- “Spring Shoots”, a film scenario produced by the Shanghai Film Studio.
- Art Works from the Exhibitions “The Cultural Revolution is Fine”, 8 color pages.
- #11-12 — November-December, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,922 KB]
- Mao Tsetung memorial issue, with 84 pages of black and white photos of Mao taken over the decades.
1977:
- # 1 — January, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,509 KB] Featuring:
- “The Pioneers” [Part I], a film scenario about the Taching Oilfield, together with an 8-page selection of color photographs from the film.
- # 2 — February, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,234 KB]
- # 3 — March, 124 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,849 KB]
- # 4 — April, 116 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,032 KB]
- #5-6 — May-June, 116 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,484 KB]
- # 7 — July, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,572 KB]
- # 8 — August, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [5,861 KB]
- # 9 — September, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,467 KB]
- #10 — October, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,199 KB]
- #11 — November, 146 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,751 KB]
- #12 — December, 120 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,024 KB]
1978:
- # 1 — January, 129 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,739 KB]
- Supplement: “Traditional Chinese Paintings”, color photographs, 20 pages. Searchable PDF format [1,456 KB]
- # 2 — February, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,854 KB]
- # 3 — March, 136 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,110 KB] Note: The very long foldout painting of “Watering Horses” after page 116 had to be scanned in two sections, from each end.]
- # 4 — April, 135 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,485 KB]
- # 5 — May, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [9,147 KB]
- # 6 — June, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,093 KB]
- # 7 — July, 126 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,185 KB]
- # 8 — August, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,843 KB]
- # 9 — September, 139 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,998 KB]
- #10 — October, 146 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,748 KB]
- #11 — November, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,063 KB]
- #12 — December, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,695 KB]
1979:
- # 1 — January, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,202 KB]
- # 2 — February. [Not yet available.]
- # 3 — March, 133 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,330 KB]
- # 4 — April, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,451 KB]
- # 5 — May, 138 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,931 KB]
- # 6 — June, 142 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,209 KB]
- # 7 — July, 130 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,399 KB] [Now including the formerly missing plates of papercuts from Yuxian.]
- # 8 — August, 150 pages. Searchable PDF format [13,236 KB]
- # 9 — September, 134 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,038 KB]
- #10 — October, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [6,939 KB]
- #11 — November. [Not yet available.]
- #12 — December, 151 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,774 KB]
1980:
- # 5 — May, 132 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,238 KB]
- # 7 — July, 140 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,911 KB]
- # 9 — September, 142 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,177 KB]
- #10 — October, 144 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,009 KB]
1981:
- # 5 — May, 148 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,934 KB]
- # 6 — June, 147 pages. Searchable PDF format [8,194 KB]
1987:
- Spring, 234 pages. Searchable PDF format [7,435 KB]
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