The book of B. L. Riftin is devoted to the study of the relationship between folklore and medieval literature in China. It analyzes folk books, their role in the formation of the historical epic - "Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guan-chung (XIV century), as well as the influence of the book epic on the late oral tale. The author pays special attention to the problems of poetics and stylistics of medieval literature, describes in detail folk storytellers of different centuries, their repertoire, performing skills, and the structure of oral narration.