Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

Author: Chu Renhuo (Qing)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-08-01
Features: Romance of the Sui and Tang is a popular historical legend novel enjoyed by the masses. The novel takes the history of the Sui and Tang dynasties as its main thread, extensively collecting a large number of folk legends and unofficial histories that were prevalent at the time. More directly, it draws upon Luo Guanzhong's Chronicles of the Sui and Tang, Qi Dongye's Allure of the Sui Emperor, and Yuan Yuling's Remnants of the Sui History and other romance novels, recombining, revising, and refining them into a grand-scale historical legend novel with numerous characters, encompassing the rise and fall of both the Sui and Tang dynasties.
The historical story told in Romance of the Sui and Tang begins with Emperor Wen of Sui's conquest of Chen, ends with Emperor Xizong of Tang suppressing the An Lushan Rebellion, and Emperor Xuanzong's return from Shu to Chang'an before his death in the Western Palace. From the overall structure, the novel primarily narrates three main stories:
1. The heroic tales of rebel leaders at the end of the Sui dynasty, such as Qin Qiong, Xu Maogong, Cheng Yaojin, Li Jing, Yuchi Gong, and Luo Cheng, who rebelled against the Sui and established the Tang dynasty;
2. The palace intrigues of Emperor Minghuang of the Sui, who murdered his father and seized power, leading to the downfall of the Sui dynasty through his debauchery;
3. Emperor Taizong of Tang recruiting the Sui rebels, the struggle for power at Xuanwu Gate, where he murdered his brother to seize the throne, establishing the prosperity of the Tang dynasty (with Wu Zetian's later coup and enthronement as empress), as well as the tragic outcome of the An Lushan Rebellion caused by Emperor Xuanzong's infatuation with Yang Guifei.
Romance of the Sui and Tang summarizes the complex and tumultuous social life of the Sui and Tang dynasties over more than 170 years, portraying and praising numerous characters such as heroes, knights, wise rulers, loyal ministers, brave generals, and virtuous women. It particularly emphasizes the chivalrous actions of the frontier heroes rebelling against tyranny, vividly depicts the debauchery of Emperor Minghuang in the palace, and Emperor Xuanzong's romantic liaison with Yang Guifei, while exposing and satirizing the extravagant and dissolute lives of feudal emperors.
The narrative is lively, the language is fluent, the plot is intricate, and the characters are vividly and distinctively portrayed. For example, Qin Qiong's destitute plight, Dou Lianniang's "marriage on horseback," and especially the heroic group in Wazhuang, including the "world-conquering demon" Cheng Yaojin, the chivalrous and righteous Qin Shubao, the death-defying Shan Xongxin, the wily Xu Maogong, and the, are all depicted with.