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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 Pai." "San Yan" consists of three short story collections 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 Longziyou, Mohen Zhai Master, and Guqu Sanren, among other names. He was from Changzhou and served as the magistrate of Shejian in Shouning, gaining a reputation for his governance. During the Qing army's crossing of the Yangtze River, he participated in anti-Qing activities. He was prolific in his writings, particularly in popular literature, contributing significantly to the search, editing, organization, research, and creation and publishing of vernacular works. He revised works such as "Ping Yao Zhuan" and "Xin Lie Guo Zhi," and wrote the anecdotal novel "Gujin Tan Gai," the romance "Shuang Xiong Ji," and revised various romances by Tang Xianzu and others, collectively titled "Mohen Zhai Dingben Chuanqi," all of which are well-documented. The works included in "San Yan," whether old pieces from the Song and Yuan dynasties or newly created or imitated by Feng Menglong, were all to varying degrees edited and refined by him. These works cover a wide range of themes and complex content. They condemn the vices of feudal officials while praising the virtues of upright officials, celebrate friendship and love while condemning treachery and betrayal. More noteworthy is that many works depict the lives of urban commoners. Examples include "Shi Runze Tanque Yu You," "Jiang Xingge Chonghui Zhenzhu Shan," "Du Shiniang Nu Chen Baobao Xiang," and "Mai Youlang Du Zhan Hua Kuai." In these works, 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 reflect the vibrant ideological consciousness of urban citizens. The outstanding works in "San Yan" not only value complete plots, intricate storytelling, and rich details but also employ diverse artistic techniques to portray character personalities. Their publication advanced the development and flourishing of short stories, marking the formation of the national style and characteristics of Chinese vernacular short fiction. "Jingshi Tongyan" was originally titled "Kaiyi Jushi Ping" and "Molang Zhai Jiao." It includes 40 stories, some from the Song and Yuan dynasties and others imitated by Ming writers, with a consistent linguistic style. The themes are largely drawn from previous novels, and many stories are widely known in the folk tradition, with prominent portrayals of female characters. "Jingshi Tongyan" has three Ming-era printed editions. The compilation of this edition was based on multiple versions, carefully selecting the best and learning from the virtuous to create the current edition. The illustrations used in this book are mostly selected from classic embroidered image editions from various dynasties, and contemporary renowned painters were commissioned to imitate the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties.