The Jingkang National Humiliation

Author: Wang Zengyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: This book is one in a series of novels, telling the historical story of the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty and the rise of the Southern Song Dynasty, as well as the wars and peace with the Jin Dynasty. In the 320 years of the Song Dynasty's history, this period is undoubtedly dramatic, marked by profound suffering, ruthless plunder, heroic resistance, cowardly survival, hedonistic revelry, corruption and betrayal when disaster loomed, painful choices made out of desperation, and selfless sacrifices in the face of death. These elements form the entire long historical tapestry. The general outline of the novel is entirely based on historical records, while the details are either fictionalized or traceable to historical sources, at least grounded in the realities of life during the Song-Jin era. The characters in the novel, such as Emperor Qinzong of Song, Zhao Heng, Empress Zhu, Prince Kang Zhao Gou, Zongze, Zhang Suo, and others, as well as those who appear less frequently in this book like Han Shizhong, Qin Hui, and the legendary female poet Li Qingzhao, are mostly real historical figures. Their artistic portrayals largely align with their actual historical images. Among them, Yue Fei is undoubtedly a household name in the Song Dynasty, but people's knowledge of him often comes from the fictionalized tales in The Legend of Yue Fei and traditional opera. In this book, readers can learn about his early family life, how he joined the army, and how he bore the phrase "Serve the country with all one's heart" on his back.