Twilight Road (Full Two Volumes) (Popular Library of Chinese Classical Novel Masterpieces)

Author: Li Luyuan (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: In the 13th year of the Qianlong reign (1748), in Henan County, known as the "famous region of Confucian learning in Central China," a scholar in his forties decided to write a unique novel that could "inspire people's good intentions and discipline their idle ambitions," naming it The Crooked Road and the Bright Path (Qilu Tengdao). This scholar was named Li Luyuan. The Crooked Road and the Bright Path is a lengthy work, consisting of 108 chapters, telling the story of a scholar-official's son who descends into decline and then reforms, restoring his family's honor. The Crooked Road and the Bright Path can be considered an educational novel, as it realistically portrays the process of Tan Shaowen's decline and self-improvement. The author aimed to warn the world: be strict with your children, choose teachers wisely, and be cautious in making friends. The final words of Tan Xiaoyi at his death—"Diligently study and associate with upright people"—are the essence of the novel, serving as a guiding light for educating children in the feudal era. As a learned scholar well-versed in both literature and worldly affairs, Li Luyuan wrote this novel with a spirit of realism. The Crooked Road and the Bright Path realistically depicts the social life of 18th-century China, providing valuable material for social history and holding significant academic value.