The Story of a Chinese Heroine and Her Children

Author: Han Tiezheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: A Heroic Son and Daughter is a long novel from the Qing Dynasty, written by Wen Kang (pen name Yanbei Xianren). The story is set directly against the backdrop of Qing society, depicting how the aristocratic youth An Ji embarks on a perilous journey alone to save his father. Along the way, he falls victim to a plot and is rescued by the heroic woman He Yufeng (alias Shisanmei). The novel follows a series of events that unfold after his rescue.
In the story, the author extols the virtues of helping the destitute, suppressing the wicked, and maintaining justice and filial piety, labeling them as the "true emotions of sons and daughters." From this fundamental perspective, the author crafts a series of idealized characters, fully reflecting his feudal orthodox views. He hopes to inspire the Manchu aristocracy to revitalize themselves and ensure the long-term stability of the Qing regime by portraying a family that perfectly embodies the five cardinal relationships.
The first half of the novel features vivid and intricate plots, while the second half progresses more slowly, with detailed and lifelike descriptions. Notably, the author employs a storytelling style, with dialogue outnumbering action, and uses authentic, fluent Beijing dialect, making the narrative witty and humorous. This demonstrates the artistic evolution of the novel as it developed into the modern era. However, the book contains many feudal moral lessons, and some minute details are overly verbose. Readers are advised to discern these elements.
To help young readers better understand this classic, we have selected some chapters with strong ideological and artistic value and adapted them into easy-to-understand stories. Additionally, to deepen comprehension, we have included a "Insight Corner" after each story, aiming to provide readers with a more profound understanding of the work. We hope this book will give readers a general insight into the society, culture, and other aspects of the time.