Study of Ming and Qing Novels

Author: Zeng Liang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The author has been researching Ming and Qing Dynasty novels for over 20 years. This book is a compilation of the author's many years of research. Several articles have been published in academic journals such as Wen Shi Zhi Shi (Zhonghua Book Company), Social Sciences Research, Ming Qing Novel Research, and others. On the Contradictory Attitude toward Women's Portrayal in Romance of the Three Kingdoms was fully reprinted in Ancient and Modern Chinese Literature Research by the Renmin University of China. Most of the articles included in this book have been published for the first time. In the history of ancient Chinese literature, just as Tang poetry, Song ci, and Yuan qu represent the highest achievements of their respective eras, Ming Dynasty novels represent the pinnacle of Ming literature, showcasing a vibrant and flourishing scene, and laying the full conditions for the formation of the peak of Qing Dynasty novel art. The number of Ming Dynasty novels is large, with a wide variety of genres, reflecting a broad spectrum of social life. Works such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Journey to the West, Golden Lotus, and Investiture of the Gods all emerged during the Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty was the period when ancient Chinese novels fully matured, producing great works such as Dream of the Red Chamber and The Story of the Stone. Alongside the prosperity of novels, by the Qing Dynasty, novel theory had also entered a mature phase, especially Qing Dynasty novel criticism, which broke with traditional biases and enthusiastically affirmed the value and function of novels, laying the foundation for the maturity of Qing Dynasty novel theory. This book selects more than 40 articles, exploring the character portrayals in Ming and Qing Dynasty novels, as well as their ideological and artistic qualities. It also includes appreciations and studies of famous works from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as Execution of a Loyal Minister in the West Market and A Certain Prince. The book is written in elegant and fluent prose, possessing high academic value, and can serve as a reference for relevant researchers, as well as for enthusiasts of Ming and Qing Dynasty novels.