Fables of the Masters

Author: Qu Bo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Fable, has always been called "the flower of wisdom, the poetry of philosophy." It sparkles with the fire of human wisdom, radiating poetic beauty. It is like a thorny rose—its flowers bring joy to humanity, while its thorns serve as reminders for reflection. In the treasure trove of world literature, fable is a unique and brilliant pearl. Fable literature has three major origins in the world: China, India, and Greece. Both India and ancient Greece have classic collections of fables, while Chinese fables are largely embedded within prose works. They are vividly written, profound in philosophy, independently circulated, and possess infinite charm. From ancient times to the present, these fables have continuously educated generations of people.
In our country, the pre-Qin period was the era of birth and prosperity for ancient fables, marking a golden age of the flourishing of fable literature. At that time, fables became an effective means to defeat opponents in debates. During this period, the Hundred Schools of Thought, such as Han Feizi, Lüshi Chunqiu, Mencius, Mozi, Yanzi Chunqiu, and Zhan Guo Ce, all contained rich and fascinating fables. In terms of quantity, the prosperity of pre-Qin fables is rare in the history of world fable literature. Aesop's Fables, for example, only contain over 300 fables, while preliminary statistics show that the fables of the pre-Qin Hundred Schools of Thought number over a thousand. This how flourishing and prosperous pre-Qin fables were.
The fables of the pre-Qin Hundred Schools have had an extremely profound influence on Chinese literature. They greatly enriched ancient Chinese language, becoming widely used and possessing a distinct national style and strong contemporary flavor. They represent a peak in literary history. The fables of the Hundred Schools often offer valuable insights and profound education. These fables embody profound life philosophies and moral lessons in simple and easily understandable stories.
The fable stories selected in this book are all classic works from the works of the Hundred Schools of Thought, including "Waiting for Rabbits by the Stake," "Marking the Boat to Seek the Sword," "The Fox Borrowing the Tiger's Might," "Adding Feet to the Snake," and "Covering One's Ears While Stealing a Bell." We sincerely hope that these fable stories become good teachers and companions on the journey of growth for every young reader.