文明小史

Wénmíng xiǎoshǐ
proper noun

Meanings

  1. 1 A Short History of Civilization, Li Baojia's late-Qing satirical novel

Examples

HSK 6
《 Wénmíng xiǎoshǐ 》 shì Qīngcháo mònián de yí bù xiǎoshuō.
A Short History of Civilization is a novel from the last years of the Qing.
HSK 7-9
《 Wénmíng xiǎoshǐ 》 fěngcì le nàxiē jiè " wéixīn " shēngguān-fācái de rén.
A Short History of Civilization mocks people who used "reform" to get promoted and rich.

Tips

history
Serialized in 1903–1905 by 李宝嘉 (1867–1906), also known as 李伯元, the author of 官场现形记. Its 60 chapters, set after the Boxer crisis of 1900, show officials, students and self-styled reformers cashing in on "new learning" and Western ways.
usage
文明 here is "civilization" in the sense of Western-style modernity, which the novel mocks, and 小史 "a short history" is an ironic, modest title.

Stroke Order

文 wén
明 míng
小 xiǎo
史 shǐ