Literature
There are several major works of Chinese fiction.
Dream of the Red Chamber/Story of the Stone 红楼梦
This novel is considered by far the crowning achievement of Chinese fiction. There is even a field of study specifically about this book. The book tells the lengthy story of the rise and fall of two branches of a wealthy family during the Qing Dynasty. It is full of puns and other word plays, and to be truly understood must be read alongside a commentary, though of course can be enjoyed without understanding the language.
More
https://www.ruf.rice.edu/~asia/DreamRedChamberOutline.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_of_the_Red_Chamber
Water Margin/All Men are Brothers/Outlaws of the Marsh 水浒传
Somewhat like a western, Water Margin is based on the exploits of a real outlaw and his gang. In the story, 108 outlaws get together to form an army before being enlisted by the government to aid them in fighting foreign invaders and rebels. It is a massive story and includes some wonderful martial exploits.
More
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Margin
Journey to the West, Monkey 西游记
Journey to the West, or Monkey, is perhaps the best known story in China, made into TV shows and operas and movies. The story is actually based on the real journey of a Buddhist monk named Xuanzang who traveled to India in search of true teachings, and upon his return fundamentally changed the practice of Buddhism in China. While based on his travels, the story is amply embellished upon with magical beings sent along to protect him on his journey. While the main character is technically the monk Tripitaka, Sun Wu Kong, the mischievous monkey, takes center stage.
More
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Wukong
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_to_the_West
Jin Ping Mei 金瓶梅
An erotic novel on the surface, the title refers to the names of the three main characters. The story is a spinoff of Water Margin, taking one of the main characters from that book. It describes the mostly sexual exploits of the three characters as they jockey for position in the household.
More
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Ping_Mei
Authors
Some of the most important Chinese authors
Lu Xun is an author that everyone in China knows. He wrote during the early part of the 20th century. His most famous stories are Diary of a Madman and The True Story of Ah Q.
Poetry
Every schoolchild in China memorizes as many as 300 Tang Dynasty poems. There is a commonly read book entitle 唐朝三百首 which includes the 300 most famous poems of the Tang Dynasty. The most famous poets include Li Bai, Tu Fu,
Here is one of the most famous, by Li Bai.
李白 Li Bai
静夜思 Quiet Evening Thoughts
床前明月光， 疑是地上霜。
舉頭望明月， 低頭思故鄉。
Before my bed the moonlight; I wonder if it is frost;
I lift my head towards the moon; I lower my head and think of home.
The moon is a very important symbol of home and reunion in China. As he looks at the moon, his wife is (perhaps) gazing at the very same moon, thus bringing them together.
The most famous Chinese poets
Li Bai
Du Fu
More to Explore
https://cls.hs.yzu.edu.tw/300/all/ALLFRAME.htm
https://www.gushiwen.org/gushi/tangshi.aspx
https://28utscprojects.wordpress.com/tang320/