Fengshen Yanyi

Author: Xu Zhonglin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: The Fengshen Yanyi, which emerged during the Longqing and Wanli years of the Ming Dynasty, is a lengthy, mythological novel spanning over 100 chapters. For three to four centuries, it has been widely circulated among the people. If you are Chinese, you are likely to know at least some of the plot and characters from the book. Although the story is "three parts historical, seven parts fictional," the fates of the characters in the book always grip your heartstrings, whether you realize it or not, making you share their joys and sorrows. The author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a staunch "good governmentist," and after praising the heroes who defy the trend in Water Margin, the author still leads them to accept amnesty—still a "good governmentist" stance. However, Fengshen Yanyi, which sits outside the "Four Great Classical Novels," is imbued with democratic spirit. It takes a positive, upward, and trend-following attitude toward the transition of dynasties and the development of society. This is truly rare and commendable in ancient historical novels.