The Chapter-Division Xiaoshuo

The chapter-division xiaoshuo is a type of ancient Chinese novel that is divided into multiple chapters that come with subtitles. The subtitles can be either a single sentence or an antithetical couplet that gives a summary of the central theme of the chapter. Each chapter concludes at a most critical point in the development of the storyline, often explicitly marked by a conventionalized phrase: “To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter”, which entices the readers to read on. The style of chapter-division xiaoshuo, like a vernacular story, retains the distinct birthmark of “storytelling”.