Four Great Novels of the Ming Dynasty

Author: Pu Anqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: This book compiles four monographs on the so-called "Four Great Classical Novels" of the Ming Dynasty. Each essay can stand alone, serving as an interpretation of these works, allowing readers to choose freely. However, the book also aims to present some debatable arguments. The core thesis of the book originates from the perspective of comparative literary theory, viewing the fiction genres of the Ming and Qing dynasties as products of the scholarly culture. Therefore, it consistently advocates the concept of "scholarly fiction." This view does not deny that the "Four Great Classical Novels" each stem from folk tales, storytelling, and other popular culture phenomena. Instead, it emphasizes that these long novels were refined and reshaped by scholarly authors, giving rise to a new literary form. This genre not only reflects the aesthetic techniques and intellectual aspirations of Ming and Qing scholars but also often reveals profound meanings hidden within the complex text, employing irony as a rhetorical device to remind readers to seek the "true essence" beyond the surface. The author particularly highlights the scholarly elements of these works collectively referred to as "popular fiction," without expressing any prejudice in favor of refinement over popular culture. On the contrary, my intention is precisely to promote the great spirit of the unique fusion of refinement and popular culture in Chinese cultural tradition. The four great long works of the Ming Dynasty—the Jin Ping Mei, Journey to the West, Water Margin, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms—are commonly known as the "Four Great Classical Novels." Under the dual reference of China's tradition of novel criticism and Western modern literary theory, the author meticulously examines their versions, authors, and historical context, analyzes their structure and rhetoric, and argues for the central role of "ironic correction" as an artistic technique. This is connected to the social and cultural background and intellectual history of the Ming Dynasty, leading to the conclusion that: although the materials of these four novels are rooted in tradition, they are quintessentially scholarly fiction, representing the formation of Chinese prose and novel genres and embodying the cultural values and intellectual aspirations of the late Ming scholar-officials. Regarding the relationship between the ruler and the subject, I have already discussed how the novel portrays a reality of moral decay and corruption, from the imperial court to the petty kingdom of Xi Men Qing, just as the ideal of loyal ministers is dishonored. At the top, there are the "Four Treacherous Ministers" who wield power recklessly and destabilize the state. From the other perspective (i.e., the subject to the ruler), the ideal relationship is one that embodies the spirit of "loyalty." Since this ideal has long been weakened at both the national level and in remote provinces, opportunism and hypocrisy have flourished, resulting in harm to all, with widespread suffering and a populace in dire straits. We also see that the book still provides some examples of righteous and diligent officials devoted to their duties. For those in power, the meaning of "righteousness" is close to that of "loyalty." These loyal and righteous figures include Li, the magistrate, who governs his family strictly, ensuring that Meng Yu Lou has a fitting end in the story's conclusion; and Zhou, the garrison commander, whose loyalty and righteousness are not diminished by his poor choice of wife, Chen Mei. This gives the name "Zhou Yi" (Zhou is the son of the old servant Zhou Zhong and plays a role in the scene where Chen Jing commits suicide after Chen Mei) a special ironic undertone.
Moving on to the relationship between brothers, from the comical farce of mimicking sworn brotherhood at the beginning of the novel (in the Ci Hua edition, this scene is placed at the start of the main body, while the Chongzhen edition moves it to the first chapter of the main text) to a series of disreputable brothers (such as Han Daoguo and Han Er) and outright fake brothers (such as Chen Jing, who impersonates a brother twice in chapters 92 and 94), we see the decline of this relationship. When discussing this, Zhang Zhu pu once pointed out the significance of the fact that Xi Men Qing (and, to this extent, Chen Jing) himself had no biological brothers. This also demonstrates how the novel deliberately highlights the lack of "friendship and trust." The sworn brothers' companions exploit Xi Men Qing's suspiciously generous behavior, exploiting him without limit. The fact that Xi Men Qing bestows small favors on these flattery-hungry sycophants, not out of genuine goodwill, only gains him the conventional reputation of a "generous and righteous man"—this is another skillful and ironic touch by the author. Later, his hypocritical acts of generosity receive their due reward: as soon as he dies, his friends eagerly extort his widow to the fullest extent. Broadly speaking, if we expand the definition of "friendship and trust" to include all forms of mutual reliance between people, then what we are discussing here involves a inversion of right and wrong. This point is often conveyed through the ironic phrase "human relations" throughout the novel.