Three Words and Two Beats - Family Bookshelf

Author: Feng Menglong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: "San Yan Er Pai" is a widely circulated collection of short stories in ancient China and holds an important position in the history of Chinese literature. "San Yan" refers to the "Yushi Mingyan," "Jingshi Tongyan," and "Xingshi Hengyan" compiled by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty, while "Er Pai" refers to the "Chu Ke Pai'an Jingqi" and "Er Ke Pai'an Jingqi" compiled by Ling Mengchu. Since "San Yan" and "Er Pai" were compiled in (close) years and share similar content and forms, they are often merged by later generations and referred to as "San Yan Er Pai." "San Yan Er Pai" is a widely circulated collection of short stories in ancient China. "San Yan" refers to the "Yushi Mingyan," "Jingshi Tongyan," and "Xingshi Hengyan" compiled by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty, which is the first grand anthology of vernacular short stories in the history of Chinese literature and a monumental milestone in the development of vernacular short stories, marking the transition from folk oral art to literary works. These works cover a wide range of themes and complex content, reflecting the life and thoughts of the urban class from various perspectives to varying degrees. "Er Pai" refers to the "Chu Ke Pai'an Jingqi" and "Er Ke Pai'an Jingqi" compiled by Ling Mengchu, which were created based on historical records, classical vernacular stories, and contemporary social rumors. The main themes reflect the social atmosphere in urban life that pursues wealth and pleasure, while also embodying the liberalist ideals of longing for love and equality during the early stages of capitalism. "San Yan Er Pai" totals over 4 million words and includes more than 200 stories. This book selects 71 of the most widely circulated, representative, and readable stories from it, helping readers to distill the essence and gain a glimpse of the whole.