Illustrated Edition of Water Margin (Complete 4 Volumes)

Author: (Ming) Shi Nai'an
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-08-01
Features: Water Margin is a long heroic legend and one of the representative works of ancient Chinese long novels, created based on the story of Song Jiang's uprising. Water Margin is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Ancient China. Many later artistic forms drew inspiration from the Water Margin stories, and the images of the heroes of Liangshan can be found in Ming and Qing operas, paintings, and sculptures. Water Margin has been translated into over 10 foreign languages and has been widely disseminated worldwide. Water Margin features a large cast of characters, complex plotlines, rich themes, and a central thread running throughout the entire narrative. Its interpretation can be approached in various ways using a two-part method. First, a comparison of the before and after in terms of time. Second, the diverse paths and ultimate convergence of the Liangshan heroes joining the uprising. Third, the intertwined values of loyalty and righteousness among the Water Margin heroes. Fourth, the coexistence of the hero's tragedy and the national tragedy. Fifth, the complementary duality of reality and fantasy. Water Margin is a long heroic legend and one of the representative works of ancient Chinese long novels, created based on the story of Song Jiang's uprising. Water Margin is a famous classical long novel of our country. It is said to have been compiled by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. It was created by the authors based on widely circulated folk tales, storytelling texts, and operas that had been popular since the Song and Yuan dynasties. It successfully portrays a series of artistic figures such as Lin Chong, Li Kui, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, the three brothers of the Ruan family, Xie Zhen, and Xie Bao, and through their different experiences, it depicts the entire process of the peasant uprising led by Chao Gai and Song Jiang in the late Northern Song Dynasty—from its outbreak and development to its ultimate failure, profoundly revealing the social roots of the people's rebellion against the authorities. Water Margin has had a significant impact on Chinese literary history, marking a new era in the creation of popular literature in China. Its distinct national style has provided an invaluable model for later long novelists. During its dissemination, Water Margin emerged in various different versions. The most common include the 100-capter edition, the 120-capter edition, and the 70-capter edition. The 100-capter edition includes plots such as "conquering Liao" and suppressing Fang La's uprising after Song Jiang accepts the imperial pardon. The 120-capter edition further inserts episodes of suppressing Tian Hu and Wang Qing (chapters 91 to 100), with the story ending with Lu Junyi's dream. This edition adds a preface, making it effectively a 71-capter work. This book is based on a stone-printed edition of The True Interpretation of the Journey to the West from the 35th year of the Kangxi reign (1696) for collation. Missing or incomplete parts have been supplemented based on other versions. For easier appreciation, the original character illustrations and illustrations have been.