Life Wisdom from Water Margin

Author: Qiao Li, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: When the author was drafting the outline of this book, he once discussed the topic of "Life Wisdom in Water Margin" with a friend. He said, "I've only heard of life wisdom in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but how can there be life wisdom in Water Margin?" Yes, in people's impression, Water Margin is a hymn to peasant uprisings and a novel that primarily celebrates ideal heroes. Discussing life wisdom in Water Margin is like grasping at straws. But subtleties often lie beyond the obvious. It is undeniable that it has had a profound social impact in China. Water Margin depicts the myriad flavors of life and the diverse aspects of society, encompassing characters from all social strata—from emperors and generals to fishermen and butchers, monks and Taoist priests, peddlers and thieves, street ruffians, and courtesans and madams. The characters are extremely rich. Additionally, it inherits the fine traditions of Song and Yuan storytelling, with common people as the protagonists of the work. Although the novel still celebrates heroes and narrates major political and military struggles, its most classic parts lie in the streets and the martial world. It portrays lower-class characters—farmers, fishermen, and urban commoners—as heroes, placing them in the central positions. Even the noble-born characters like Chai Jin and Hua Rong are depicted in a down-to-earth manner. This not only brings the readers closer but also provides numerous readers with references for survival.