-Chapter 1: Introduction 1.0. Background of the Study 1.1. Rationale for the Study 1.2. Significance of the Study 1.3. Outline of the Study -Chapter 2: An Overview of Chinese Literary History 2.0. Definitions of Literary History 2.1. Literary Histories Compiled by Chinese Scholars in Chinese 2.2. Chinese Literary Histories Compiled by Japanese Sinologists 2.3. Chinese Literary Histories Compiled by Western Sinologists (Mainly English) 2.4. Conclusion of the Different Modes of Chinese Literary Histories -Chapter 3: The Notion of Discursive Communities: A Case Study of Huaigu Poems 3.0. The New Notion of Discursive Communities 3.1. The Subgenre of Huaigu Poems and Discursive Communities 3.2. The Implications of Discursive Communities on Chinese Literary History Studies 3.3. The Theoretical Implications of Discursive Communities -Chapter 4: The Cultural Tang and Temple Visiting Poems 4.0. The Cultural Tang and Temple Visiting Poems 4.1. Temple Visiting Poems and the Beginning & End of the Cultural Tang 4.2. Literary Values and Conventions of Temple Visiting Poems 4.3. Temple Visiting Poems and the Field of Cultural Production 4.4. Discussions and Implications -Chapter 5: The Alter Ego Perspectives and Literary Historiography 5.0. Chinese Literary History and the Alter Ego Perspectives 5.1. The Theoretical Framework of Literary Historiography 5.2. Literary Historiography and the Intellectual History 5.3. Meta-historiography in Literary History Studies 5.4. Canon Formation and Power Relations 5.5. Conclusion