Abstract: Ye Yonglie is known as one of the most outstanding nonfiction writers in modern China. Among his oeuvre, biography plays the important role and enjoys the great achievement and influence. His biographies focus on interviews and historical material researches, in pursuit of the "grand subject matter, high level, and first-hand data," and a great variety of forms and styles, manifesting the organic unity of strength and tenderness, dignity and plainness. He has not only pushed the traditional Chinese biography which “combines history and life” to the new forefront, but also contributed to the flourishing of Chinese contemporary non-fiction. He is prestigious for both his great efforts in establishing the aesthetic standards on non-fictions and the effective exploration of the biographical function in bridging the West and China.

Key words： Ye Yonglie; biographical literature; achievements in biography; theoretical significance；status in Chinese literary history

Zhang Luosheng (1954-), Ph. D., is a Professor in School of Literature, Hunan University, China. His research interest is nonfiction and modern Chinese literature. His academic monographs include Lao She and the Chinese Literature in the PRC, The Development of Chinese News Story Writing and New Theories on Chinese News Story Writing. He has also published over 80 papers on influential Chinese journals, such as Litearary Criticism, Studies on Modern Chinese Literature, Lu Xun Research Monthly and the Journal of Literature and Art and over 10 of them have been cited in New China Abstracts and Chinese Social Sciences Digest. He has presided over and completed two projects sponsored by Chinese National Fund for Humanities and Social Science.