Social Psychology and Fiction during the Southern Song and Ming Dynasties

Author: Fu Huisheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-10-01
Features: This book points out that the phenomenon of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" coexisting and being imitated throughout history is rich in traditional cultural connotations. By borrowing the methods of literary social psychology, the two works are treated as a whole, and their relationship with the social conflicts of the Song and Yuan dynasties, the aesthetic tastes and ideals of the authors, the historical meanings of bravery, wisdom, loyalty, and righteousness, as well as the dissemination, influence, versions, and readers' reception psychology of the two works are systematically analyzed. It reveals that the two works, in the form of popular culture, crystallize the social psychology of the masses' desires and ideals during the period of sharp class and ethnic contradictions in the feudal society. Their ideological connotations, dominated by Mohism with complementary Confucianism and Taoism, represent the mainstream of Chinese traditional culture that challenges the feudal orthodox culture. The two works are innovative literary forms based on storytelling and novels during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The creative-appreciation model formed by the theoretical criticism of the two works relativelyly reflects and represents the artistic aesthetic tastes of the ancient Chinese masses. This book points out that the phenomenon of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" coexisting and being imitated throughout history is rich in traditional cultural connotations. By borrowing the methods of literary social psychology, the two works are treated as a whole, and their relationship with the social conflicts of the Song and Yuan dynasties, the aesthetic tastes and ideals of the authors, the historical meanings of bravery, wisdom, loyalty, and righteousness, as well as the dissemination, influence, versions, and readers' reception psychology of the two works are systematically analyzed. It reveals that the two works, in the form of popular culture, crystallize the social psychology of the masses' desires and ideals during the period of sharp class and ethnic contradictions in the feudal society. Their ideological connotations, dominated by Mohism with complementary Confucianism and Taoism, represent the mainstream of Chinese traditional culture that challenges the feudal orthodox culture. The two works are innovative literary forms based on storytelling and novels during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The creative-appreciation model formed by the theoretical criticism of the two works relativelyly reflects and represents the artistic aesthetic tastes of the ancient Chinese masses.