Awaken the World's Constant Words (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Feng Menglong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Ancient Chinese vernacular short stories, originally intended as scripts for storytelling by performers and widely circulated among the people. By the late Ming Dynasty, some scholars edited, refined, and imitated these scripts for novel writing, and through the extensive printing and distribution by book merchants, vernacular novels had a significant impact on all social strata, especially the lower classes. Among these, the most notable are the two collections of scripts, "San Yan" and "Er Pa." "San Yan" consists of three collections of short stories edited and refined by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty: "Yushi Mingyan," "Jingshi Tongyan," and "Xingshi Hengyan." Each collection contains 40 stories, totaling 120. Because all titles contain the character "yan," they are collectively referred to as "San Yan." Feng Menglong (1574-1646), styled Yulong, was also known as Long Ziyuyou, Mo Han Zhai Master, and Gu Qu San Ren, among other names. He was from Changzhou and served as the magistrate of Shejian Shouning County, where he gained a reputation for his governance. During the Qing army's crossing of the Yangtze River, he participated in anti-Qing activities. He wrote extensively throughout his life, particularly contributing to popular literature in terms of searching, editing, organizing, researching, and publishing. He revised works such as "Ping Yao Chuan" and "Xin Lie Guo Zhi." Additionally, he wrote the anecdotal novel "Gujin Tan Gai," the romance "Shuang Xiong Ji," and revised various plays by Tang Xianzu and others, collectively titled "Mo Han Zhai Ding Ben Chuanqi," all of which are well-documented. The works collected in "San Yan," whether old pieces from the Song and Yuan dynasties or new creations and imitations by Feng Menglong, were all to varying degrees revised and polished by him. These stories cover a wide range of themes and complex content. Some condemn the vices of feudal officials while praising the virtues of upright officials, while others celebrate friendship and love while condemning treachery and infidelity. What is particularly noteworthy is that many works depict the lives of commoners in the streets and markets. Examples include "Shi Runze Tanque Yu You," "Jiang Xingge Chonghui Zhenzhu Shan," "Du Shiniang Nu Chen Bai Bao Xiang," and "Mai Youlang Du Zhan Hua Kuai." In these stories, emphasis is placed on the respect for human emotions and values, and the moral standards and marriage principles they advocate are in conflict with feudal ethics and traditional concepts. They embody the vibrant ideological consciousness of urban citizens. The outstanding works in "San Yan" not only prioritize complete plots, intricate storytelling, and rich details but also employ various artistic techniques to portray character personalities. Their publication promoted the development and flourishing of short stories, marking the formation of the national style and characteristics of Chinese vernacular short fiction. "Xingshi Hengyan" consists of forty volumes, originally titled "Kaiyi Jushi Ping" and "Mo Lang Zhuang Jiao." It includes a few old works from the Song and Yuan dynasties, mostly by Ming Dynasty authors, with some possibly written by Feng himself. Compared to "Yushi Mingyan" and "Jingshi Tongyan," "Xingshi Hengyan" has a stronger sense of creation, more complete structures, finer descriptions, and more vivid character portrayals. The original preface to "Xingshi Hengyan" explains: "The character 'ming' signifies its ability to enlighten the ignorant. 'Tong' indicates its suitability for the masses. 'Heng' suggests it is enjoyable to read repeatedly and can be passed down for generations. The three collections have different names, but their purpose is the same." This clarifies the function and nature of "San Yan." The works expose the darkness of feudal rule in a profound manner but also contain feudal moral teachings and erotic descriptions. "Xingshi Hengyan" has been published in the Tianqi 7th Year edition by Ye Jingchi and the Yanqing Tang edition, both widely circulated. The current edition of this book has been compiled based on numerous versions, carefully selecting and refining the best works to form the present edition. The illustrations used in this book are mostly selected from classic embroidered image editions from various dynasties, with contemporary renowned painters imitating the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties to create them.