Pinyin Color Illustration Book of Chinese Classics, Issue 1: Water Margin

Author: Li Yufu, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A fresh approach to telling classic stories, unique illustrations that complement vivid text. Concise and beautiful text that captures the essence of the original, with standard phonetic annotations suitable for teaching. Original illustrations crafted with artistic skill, taking children on a soul-stirring journey that will influence them for life.
In the late Northern Song Dynasty, the emperor was a tyrant, and corrupt ministers caused chaos. Heroes and heroines, filled with righteous indignation, rose up to fight for the people. Lin Chong, the head instructor of the 800,000 imperial guards, was upright and respected by the court but was betrayed by treacherous individuals. Lu Zhishen killed the town gate guard with three punches; Wu Song fought a drunken battle with a tiger on Jingyang Ridge; Li Kui, the Black Wind, mourned his mother’s death and killed four tigers. Heroes of different identities and personalities, all suffering from persecution, could no longer endure and were forced to join Liangshan.
At Liangshan, the heroes gathered and raised the yellow banner inscribed with "Justice for Heaven." They robbed the rich to help the poor and fought against tyranny to bring peace. The clever seizure of the birthday gift and the rescue from the Jiangzhou execution ground turned individual struggles into collective resistance. The three attacks on Zhu’s Village and the decisive victory over Gaotang Prefecture made Shuizhai Liangshan renowned far and wide. Here, one hundred and eight heroes came together, collectively telling a great epic of a peasant uprising.
The authors of Water Margin, Shi Nai’an and Luo Guanzhong, were both from the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty. Shi Nai’an, styled Zi’an and known by the sobriquet Nai’an, grew up in poverty and once joined Zhang Shicheng’s peasant uprising army. This gave him a deep understanding of the life in the rebel camps and allowed him to meet many leaders, laying the foundation for his writing. Luo Guanzhong, also known as the nomadic scholar, was a versatile writer who created novels, lyrics, and operas. His most influential work is Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
The Phonetic Color Illustration Edition of Chinese Classics introduced here is a series of books carefully compiled and illustrated, specially dedicated to young readers. The exquisite illustrations by outstanding artists complement the text, vividly recreating the rich social life and profound artistic realm of the original. The expressive text, delicate and lifelike illustrations, and standard phonetic annotations aligned with elementary school teaching standards will serve as a bridge for children to understand and appreciate the essence of Chinese traditional culture.