As a Chinese intellectual of this generation, Yu offers a new interpretation of Chinese history, from the "noble spirit" at its vanguard to the "curs" hiding in its shadows.
從引領歷史風騷的「高貴靈魂」，到躲藏在歷史暗角的「小人」，余秋雨呈現了這一代中國文人對於歷史文明興衰過程的詮釋。