A Hundred Years of Culture in China · Talks on the Jianghu

Author: Lian Keru
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: This book is the only existing work in China today that objectively and comprehensively introduces the underworld trades, jargon, and inner workings. The author, Lian Keru, is a renowned Chinese storytelling artist. In the 1930s, he published a long serialized work titled Jianghu Zongtan under the pen name Yun Youke in the Shi Yan Bao newspaper in Beijing. In 1938, the Shi Yan Bao Press compiled and published it in three volumes. The book not only covers the changes in places like Tianjin's Tianquanbu and the lives of performers but also devotes significant space to documenting and exposing the inner workings and harmful scams of underworld trades from the late Qing Dynasty to the 1930s, urging people not to be taken in by low-cost tricks. Due to the author's rich social experience and a righteous and kind heart, he had deep connections with many underworld figures, allowing him to thoroughly understand their secrets and bravely write them down for the public. The book is easy to understand, engaging, and credible, making it highly popular among readers and having a positive social impact. This is indeed a remarkable book, and I dare say no one will be able to write such a book in the future. The person capable of writing such a book no longer exists! Mr. Lian Keru, as a storytelling artist, wrote this extraordinary book that allows future generations to learn about the past with great interest—it is itself a miracle. Remarkable people and remarkable books deserve to be read carefully.—Su Shuyang
Related Books: Awakening the World: Lian Keru