ABSTRACT
China is the oldest continuous civilisation in the world and in its four thousand years of history Chinese literature flourished, rich and diverse in its themes, genres and collections. Yet it was only in the twentieth century that the special educational and recreational needs of children were recognised and provision made for them. Until then, children were able to enjoy a literature meant for adults. To understand why this was possible it is necessary to have an understanding of the social life of the Chinese from ancient times.
