Water Margin (Student Version)

Author: Shi Nai'an [Ming]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Water Margin is a long novel born in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. It vividly and profoundly depicts and reflects the heroic and moving deeds of a peasant uprising led by Song Jiang in the late Northern Song Dynasty, involving numerous heroes and valiant figures. The author does not limit himself to writing just a few fragments or episodes of the peasant uprising but attempts to portray the entire process of the uprising. From its occurrence, development, decline, to its disintegration, all are captured in his writing. His creative intention lies in vividly presenting and reflecting the complete process of a historical peasant uprising, summarizing its experiences and lessons, and prompting people to engage in deep reflection. Structurally, the eighty-second chapter serves as a turning point, dividing the entire book into two parts. The author employs two distinct tones and invests them with different emotions. In the first half, the tone is joyful and high-spirited, filled with the thunderous momentum of grandeur; in the second half, the tone shifts to sorrowful and subdued, shrouded in a somber atmosphere, leaving readers with a bitter sense of loss.