Abstract：Dividing the development of Chinese literature into phases can be of great advantage to holding the skeleton of its development. The traditional way, which takes the dynasties as the dividing norm, is not scientific which ignores the literature's characteristics and rules of its development. If we take the literature's expression modes and its basic states as the dividing norm, Chinese literature can be classified into two phases: oral literature and written literature. We can only focus on the written phase, for we lack provable evidence and materials for the oral one. According to the production and consumption of the main styles of written literature and their material media, Chinese literature can be further divided into four periods: noble literature period; elite literature period; civil literature period; and mass literature period. Each one has its typical style, unique transmission tools and methods and different production and consumption subjects. Thus each takes different faces.
