Water Margin and Chinese Society

Author: Sa Mengwu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The citation analysis in this book is left to the reader's judgment. It should not be forgotten that Mr. Sa often uses a topic to make a point. That is to say. Mr. Sa raises several questions, and we can explore them from our own contemporary perspectives. — Bai Huawen
"The Great and Small Books" is a very playful name. The term "great" in this context has two meanings: 1. The author of the book is a great figure; 2. The book is written for the general public, serving as a read for everyone. The term "small book" refers only to its length, as it is relatively brief. However, in terms of academic rigor, it is not light; some of them are quite substantial. In reality, the size of a book is also relative. A book with 100,000 words may seem small under today's printing conditions, but in the era of Laozi and Confucius, was it ever considered small?
One of the purposes of editing this series is to save readers' time, allowing them to gain more knowledge in a shorter period. In the age of information explosion, there is too much to learn. Supplementary reading has become a frequent necessity. If one is not good at supplementary reading, grabbing a little here and a little there, patching up this today and that tomorrow, the results may not be very effective. If reading is treated like taking medicine, one may also lose the ( is a Chinese word, meaning ease and joy) and joy that should come with reading. Each book in this series is concise, so even if readers read it carefully and savor it slowly, it won’t take much time, allowing them to fully enjoy the pleasure of reading. If they choose to treat it like medicine, it is small in dosage, easy to take, and easy to digest.
We also have another purpose, which is to contribute to cultural accumulation. We collect and publish works that have stood the test of time and have been recognized by readers, ensuring they are not lost. Some books were once bestsellers but are now hard to find; others may not have attracted much attention at the time but have proven to be of great value over time. Both types of books need to be rediscovered and brought back into the light. Books on science and technology focus on practicality, and once outdated, they attract few readers, except for those studying the history of science and technology. In contrast, the humanities are different; many books remain fresh and relevant with repeated readings.
However, this series is not entirely republishing old books. We also want to invite renowned scholars to write new small books that combine academic rigor with accessibility to meet the growing needs of readers. The format of "The Great and Small Books" is compact, and readers can easily slip it into their pockets and read a few pages anytime, anywhere. Waiting by the roadside, queuing for theater tickets, on the bus, or in the park—anywhere, reading can be done. With more readers engaging in this way, society will be enriched with a touch of culture and a spirit of learning. Isn’t that a good thing?