Seven Heroes and Five Righteous Ones

Author: Shi Yukun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Wuxia novels are an important part of Chinese literature, with a long and profound history. As early as the pre-Qin period, with the decline of slavery and the development of feudal urban economies, a special scholar class emerged in society, who made a living through their skills—whether literary and martial or playing the lute and flute. Especially during the period of feudal lords' conflicts, when lords recruited scholars and the practice of nurturing talent flourished, the scholar class further developed. Among the scholar class, Confucianism and Wuxia had the most influence. Han Fei, in his essay "The Five Vermin," listed them side by side, calling Confucians "disruptive with words, Wuxia with martial prowess," leaving the earliest records of the term "Wuxia." Confucian scholars influenced people with their thoughts, while Wuxia heroes fought for justice with their martial skills. The latter, in an authoritarian society, undoubtedly had great appeal to ordinary people, especially the lower laboring class. In a sense, they gave the common people ideals, hopes, and courage to live on when faced with hardship and injustice. For this reason, as Wuxia heroes emerged and the class developed, there arose written records of them. In pre-Qin historical texts like the "Zuo Zhuan" and the "Zhan Guo Ce," there are records of Wuxia heroes acting with righteousness, which provided life prototypes for Wuxia literature and can be considered the origins of Wuxia novels.
During the Western Han Dynasty, Sima Qian, moved by his own misfortunes and the perceived incompetence of scholars, used his sharp pain and blood-stained pen to write biographies of Wuxia heroes and assassins, praising them for their unorthodox actions but unwavering integrity: "Their words were always trustworthy, their actions decisive, their promises sincere, and they did not spare themselves. They rushed to the aid of those in dire straits, facing life and death, yet they did not boast of their abilities or glory in their virtue—there was much to admire in them." Thus, he established the theme of "righteousness" in Wuxia literature. Without righteousness, one cannot be called a Wuxia hero, and without Wuxia, righteousness cannot be celebrated. This has been the dominant ideology in Chinese Wuxia novels since their inception.
In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the "Yan Dan Zi," known as the "ancestral text of modern and ancient novels," was produced, praising Jing Ke for his unwavering integrity, decisive actions, and willingness to sacrifice his life to assassinate the Qin Emperor, Ying Zheng, with a strong literary flavor.
During the Tang Dynasty, people began to consciously write novels, and Wuxia novels also matured, occupying a significant place in Tang Dynasty legends. Works like "The Legend of the Bearded Guest," "The Legend of Nie Yingniang," "The Legend of Hong Xian," and "The Legend of the Peerless Hero" were among the finest. The swordsmen and heroes they portrayed not only reflected the turbulent side of Tang society but also left behind shining models and rich materials for later Wuxia novels, providing artistic techniques that influenced the genre until today.
Since the Tang Dynasty, when Wuxia novels formally entered the literary hall, they have stood out in the literary garden with their unique cultural essence and aesthetic tastes. During the Song Dynasty's storytelling sessions and the Ming and Qing Dynasties' serial novels, many excellent Wuxia novels emerged, such as "Water Margin," one of the most important works in the history of novels, which is undoubtedly the finest Wuxia novel—though its significance far exceeds that of ordinary Wuxia novels.
By the 1920s and 1930s of this century, as the forerunner of literary revolution, fiction far surpassed other literary forms in development, with Wuxia novels being particularly prominent, leading to what was called a "frenzy period," even with abnormal development, which drew criticism from scholars. However, while a significant portion of these works lacked artistic value due to the authors' casual writing and merchants' pursuit of profit, many writers like Xiang Kairan, Wang Dulu, Zhu Zhenmu, Li Shoumin, Gong Baiyu, and Zheng Zhengyin created many excellent works, creating a brilliant for the old-style Wuxia novels.
In the 1950s, Wuxia novels in Hong Kong and Taiwan flourished again, with a succession of renowned authors, especially the three giants—Liang Yusheng, Jin Yong, and Gu Long. They inherited the essence of traditional literature while absorbing Western literary techniques, dedicating themselves to writing Wuxia novels to elevate their quality. Through relentless effort, they pushed Wuxia novels to a new level. Even those who once held prejudices against them had to acknowledge the reality: Wuxia literature was no longer just idle talk or gossip, but excellent works could also join the ranks of literary masterpieces.
The achievement of literary creation is not limited by themes. As long as it uses typical language to reflect historical reality, portrays vivid characters, shows the author's profound thoughts on life, society, and nature, and displays a unique artistic style, it will stand tall and distinguished in the literary world.
Since the 1980s, with the reform and opening-up, Wuxia novels from Hong Kong and Taiwan surged into mainland China, reviving the dormant mainland Wuxia literary creation after 40 years of silence. New works and authors emerged continuously, along with a large number of high-quality research works. This has undoubtedly been important for summarizing the artistic laws of Wuxia literary creation and guiding reading and writing. It is believed that excellent Wuxia works will appear in the near future.
Wuxia novels are a form of popular culture. Good works must appeal to both the refined and the masses. Without popularity and a broad readership, Wuxia novels will lose their vitality and inevitably head down a dead end. However, popularity does not mean catering to the masses, and popular culture is not low culture. Excellent Wuxia novels blend both the vulgar and the refined. Their authors should accumulate knowledge before they excel. Only then can they be loved by people of all cultural levels. Truly achieving this is difficult—it requires a great talent.
Because Wuxia novels must be popular and face the masses, there is also the issue of how to improve readers' artistic appreciation. Those who aim high often achieve something in the middle. How to recommend the best works to readers is not only the task of novelists but also the unshirkable responsibility of publishers and researchers.
In Taiwan's academic and publishing circles, dozens of old-style Wuxia novels were selected and published as "The Great Series of Modern Wuxia Novel Masterpieces," providing readers with classic works, which was hailed as a great event in the book world.
Now, Beijing October Literature Publishing House, with sharp vision, has launched the "Chinese Righteousness Classics Series" at a time when readers are beginning to reflect on and refine their pursuit of Wuxia novels. This bold and ambitious move has undoubtedly done a great thing for the academic and reading communities, earning them high praise in the literary world.
This series includes eight selected works like "The Story of the Heroic Parents and Children" and "Seven Heroes and Five Righteousness," with a refined selection representing the highest achievements of Wuxia novels during the Qing and Republican periods. Coupled with precise editing and elegant design, they fully deserve the title of "Righteousness Classics."
The book has 120 chapters. The first 20 chapters introduce the story of "The Cat and the Prince Swapped Places," narrating Bao Zheng's growth, entry into office, solving cases, clearing wrongs, and welcoming the "Empress Mother," ending with the punishment of Li Bao. From the 28th to the 68th chapter, the story follows the rivalry between the Southern Hero, "the Imperial Cat" Zhan Zhao, and the "Five Righteousness" member, the "Fox Fur Mouse" Bai Yutang, as the "Five Righteousness" join Bao Zheng, and Bao Zheng and other heroes protect young officials like Fan Zhongyu and Yan Chashan, fighting against the villain Pang Taisi and his henchmen. The last 52 chapters center on Yan Chashan's inspection tour of Xiangyang, depicting the struggle between the heroes and the rebel Prince of Xiangyang and his allies.
The book successfully portrays the upright and fearless images of officials like Bao Zheng and Yan Chashan, vividly depicting the heroic and righteous qualities of the heroes who fight against evil. At the same time, it exposes the darkness and reactionary nature of feudal rule from a negative perspective.