《剑桥中国文学史》的定位是非学术性的面向普通读者的畅销书,其独特的分期方法固然是对欧美汉学传统上以文类为分类依据的反拨,更是对市场及潜在读者的迎合。从其实际的操作看,主编所宣称的文学文化史的观念,在具体的分期中并没有得到彻底贯彻。由于各个时段的不同特点,也由于参编者各自的学术专长及风格不同,因而分期方式也各不相同,这使得全书颇为杂乱。即使如此,这部来自域外的著作以其不同的视角对学界仍旧有启发意义。 “Cambridge History of Chinese Literature” is a non-academic bestseller for ordinary readers. The unique method of staging is certainly a countermeasure against the traditional classification of Chinese and American Sinology on the basis of genre. It is even more suitable for the market and potential readers . From its actual operation, the concept of literary and cultural history proclaimed by the chief editor has not been fully implemented in the specific phases. Because of the different characteristics of each period, but also because of their respective academic expertise and style of different, and therefore different stages, which makes the book quite messy. Even so, this book from outside the domain is still enlightening for the academic community from its different perspectives.