modern/contemporary

[Lu]

Can anyone make this a bit clearer to me? When was 现代 xiandai, when was 当代 dangdai, and when was 近代 jindai? Especially in literature and poetry.

As I understand it right now, jindai wenxue is literature from Ming/Qing, xiandai (modern) is from May 4th to 1949, and dangdai (contemporary) is from 1978 to now. But for history, it seems to be a bit different, and altogether I'm quite confused.

[HashiriKata]

You're right to feel confused but you shouldn't be. These terms are relative and are only meaningful (in a particular meaning) in a particular context. So, History and Literature are two different contexts and you have to try to remember which period is which 代, according to which discipline.

(If you think of how far is "far" and how near is "near", you'll be clearer of what I mean by "contexts". )

PS: Historical periods are divided/marked by major events in the history of the discipline being studied. What are considered to be major events in History are not the same ones in Literature, hence the discrepancy.

[Lu]

I know, it's all relative, but people do agree on what is what. Like, a book called 'Modern Poetry' is about poetry before 1949, so when I'm writing about poetry after 1978 this book is mostly useless to me: I would need a book called 'Contemporary Poetry', even though 'modern' and 'contemporary' usually mean the same thing. I know the English (and Dutch) terms, but am not sure about the Chinese.

But, do you by any chance know which is when in the field of poetry? or literature, I think it's the same?

[HashiriKata]

But, do you by any chance know which is when in the field of poetry? or literature, I think it's the same?

I'm sorry I don't know the precise division of the periods but I hope that you can find this information in some good introductory books on Chinese literature (but I wouldn't be surprised if the divisions are controversial or different from one author to another). Yes, since poetry & prose are both 文学，the divisional periods should apply identically to both.

[谁翻乐府凄凉曲]

近代，现代，当代，There are many chinese people who can't know their specified difference or definition,because the definiton is used in acdemic occasion .

近代：1840（The year Opium War broke out）-1919(the year 五四movement broke out)

现代：1919-1949（the year the people's republic of china is established）

当代：1949—present

[Lu]

Thank you 谁翻乐府凄凉曲, that's what I thought as well.