Little Five Righteous (Chinese Chivalry Classics Series)

Author: Shi Yukun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Wuxia novels are an important component of Chinese literature, with a long and rich history. As early as the pre-Qin period, with the decline of slavery and the development of feudal urban economies, a special scholar class emerged in society, who earned their living through their skills—whether literary and martial prowess or playing the lute and flute. Especially during the period of feudal lords vying for power, when lords recruited scholars and the practice of nurturing talent flourished, this further promoted the development of the scholar class. Among the scholar class, Confucianism and Wuxia (martial chivalry) had the greatest influence. Han Fei, in his essay "The Five Vermin," listed them together, calling "Confucians cause chaos with words, Wuxia cause trouble with martial arts," leaving the earliest record of the term "Wuxia." Scholars influenced people with their thoughts, while Wuxia heroes fought for justice with their martial prowess. The latter, in an authoritarian society, undoubtedly had great appeal to ordinary people, especially the lower laboring classes. In a sense, they gave the common people ideals, hopes, and the courage and confidence to live when hardship and injustice struck. For this reason, as the Wuxia heroes emerged and the class developed, there arose written records of them. In pre-Qin historical texts like the "Zuo Zhuan" and the "Zhan Guo Ce," there are records of Wuxia heroes acting with justice, providing life prototypes for Wuxia literature and serving as its origins. During the Western Han Dynasty, Sima Qian, moved by his own misfortunes and the perceived incompetence of scholars, used his own pain and tears to write biographies of wandering heroes and assassins, praising them for their integrity, determination, and selflessness in saving others, even at the cost of their lives. He set the tone of "righteousness" for Wuxia literature. Without righteousness, one cannot be called a Wuxia hero, and without Wuxia, righteousness cannot be celebrated. This has been the dominant ideology of Chinese Wuxia novels since their inception. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the "Yan Dan Zi," known as the "ancestral text of ancient and modern novels," was produced, praising Jing Ke for his unwavering integrity and decisive actions in assassinating the Qin Emperor, Ying Zheng, with a strong literary flavor. During the Tang Dynasty, people began to consciously write novels, and Wuxia novels also matured during this period, occupying a significant place in Tang Dynasty legends. Works like "The Legend of the Bearded Guest," "The Legend of Nie Yingniang," "The Legend of Hong Xian," and "The Legend of the Peerless Hero" are among the finest of Tang Dynasty legends. The swordsmen they portray not only reflect the turbulent aspects of Tang society but also left behind shining models and rich materials for later Wuxia novels, providing artistic techniques for imitation that have influenced until today. Since the Tang Dynasty, when Wuxia novels formally entered the literary hall, they have stood out with their unique cultural essence and aesthetic tastes, earning a distinct place in the garden of literature. During the Song Dynasty’s storytelling sessions and the Ming and Qing Dynasty’s serial novels, many excellent Wuxia novels emerged, such as "Water Margin," which holds an important place in the history of novels and is undoubtedly one of the finest Wuxia novels—even though its significance far exceeds that of ordinary Wuxia novels. In the 1920s and 1930s of this century, as fiction led the literary revolution, its development far surpassed other literary forms, with Wuxia novels being particularly prominent, creating what is known as the "crazy wave period," even leading to development, which displeased critics. However, although a considerable number of works lacked artistic value due to the authors’ frivolous writing and merchants’ pursuit of profit, many writers like Xiang Kaoran, Wang Dulu, Zhu Zhenmu, Li Shoumin, Gong Baiyu, and Zheng Zhengyin created many excellent works, achieving a brilliant for the old-style Wuxia novels. In the 1950s, Wuxia novels in Hong Kong and Taiwan flourished again, with many renowned writers emerging, especially the three giants—Liang Yusheng, Jin Yong, and Gu Long. They inherited the essence of traditional literature while absorbing Western literary techniques, dedicating themselves to writing Wuxia novels to elevate their quality. Through relentless efforts, they pushed Wuxia novels to a new level. Even those who once held prejudices and disdain for them had to acknowledge the reality: Wuxia literature was no longer just idle talk or gossip, but excellent Wuxia works could also join the ranks of literary masterpieces. The achievements of literary creation are not limited by subject matter. As long as they use typical language to reflect social and historical realities, portray vivid characters, demonstrate the author’s profound reflections on life, society, and nature, and display a unique artistic style, they will stand tall and distinguished in the literary world. Since the 1980s, with the reform and opening-up, new Wuxia novels from Hong Kong and Taiwan surged into mainland China, reviving the creation of mainland Wuxia literature after a 40-year silence. New works and high-quality research books emerged one after another, which undoubtedly holds great significance for summarizing the artistic laws of Wuxia literature creation and guiding reading and writing. It is believed that in the near future, there will be more excellent Wuxia works. Wuxia novels are a form of mass culture, and good works must appeal to both the refined and the popular. Without popular appeal and a broad readership, Wuxia novels will lose their vitality and inevitably head down a dead end. However, popularity does not mean vulgarity, and mass culture is not low culture. Excellent Wuxia novels blend both the popular and the refined. Their authors should accumulate knowledge before they excel. Only in this way can they be loved by people of all cultural levels. Truly achieving this is difficult—it requires a great talent. Because Wuxia novels must be popular and face the masses, there is also the issue of how to improve readers’ artistic appreciation. Those who aim high will achieve the middle; how to recommend the best works to readers is not only the task of novelists but also the responsibility of publishers and researchers. The Taiwanese academic and publishing circles once selected dozens of old-style Wuxia novels, publishing the "Great Series of Modern Wuxia Novel Masterpieces," providing readers with classic works, which was hailed as a great event in the book world. Now, Beijing October Literature Publishing House, with unique insight, has launched the "Chinese Chivalry Classics Series" with great courage and vision, at a time when readers are beginning to reflect on and refine their appreciation of Wuxia novels. This is undoubtedly a great contribution to the academic and reading communities, worthy of being celebrated. This series includes eight excellent works like "The Story of the Heroic Parents and Children," "The Seven Heroes and Five Righteous," and "The Seven Swords and Thirteen Heroes," with a refined selection that represents the highest achievements of Wuxia novels during the Qing and Republican periods. Accompanied by precise editing and elegant design, they fully deserve the title of "Chivalry Classics." "The Little Five Righteous" is a sequel to "The Three Heroes and Five Righteous." It was refined from the storytelling of Shi Yukun, a folk artist from the late Qing Dynasty. The story tells of the lone journey of Bai Yutang, the Fox-Mustache, to eliminate the rebellious Prince of Xiangyang, Zhao Yu, and his death in the Copper Net Formation. Afterward, the other righteous heroes gradually grow old. Their descendants, Xu Liang, Bai Yunsheng, Lu Zhen, and Han Tianjin, gather in an inn on their way to Xiangyang to break the Copper Net Formation, join forces with the young hero Ai Hu to form the "Little Five Righteous," and eliminate strongmen along the way. They gather in Wuchang and, under the leadership of Jiang Ping and Wei Zhen, attack the Copper Net Formation, facing perilous situations within. The story is full of twists and turns, with a complex plot.