The traditional roots of ancient Chinese literature are

The traditional root of ancient Chinese literature is Qu Yuan literature.

Supplementary information:

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Chu flourished in the Jianghan Valley, and then became increasingly powerful and dominated the south. The Chu people had a lively character, loved music and dance, and practiced witchcraft in the folklore, and must sing witch songs when sacrificing to ghosts and gods, thus giving rise to the Chu culture based on the fusion of the witch culture with the culture of the Central Plains.

In the state of Chu, from the king of Chu, down to the people, all believe in ghosts and gods, like to sacrifice, all the activities on earth to inform the ghosts and gods, praying for the ghosts and gods to bless them, so strong witch wind naturally filled with superstitious ingredients. But at the same time, a large number of magical and magnificent myths and legends not only provide rich materials for literary creation, but also inspire the poets' imagination.

In the late Warring States period, Chu poets, led by Qu Yuan, created a new style of poetry, which is Chu Rhetoric. It was called Chu Rhetoric, and it had a very strong local color, as it was written in the Chu language, composed in the Chu voice, recorded in the Chu land, and named the Chu objects.

The name "Chu Rhetoric" was first mentioned in the Western Han Dynasty, when Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang, a literary scholar, compiled on the basis of his predecessors and recorded the works of Qu Yuan, Song Yu, and the simulations of the later generations as a book collectively titled "Chu Rhetoric". The Chu Ci is mainly based on the works of Qu Yuan.

Chu Rhetoric is another peak of ancient poetry after the Book of Songs. The unique style of Chu sound, Chu song for the production of Chu rhetoric provides a wealth of nutrients, in addition, the cultural exchanges and integration of the north and south also has an important role in the production of Chu rhetoric, as well as, the "Poetry Classic" of the idea and the method of expression of the Chu rhetoric has also had a certain impact.