Silent Drama -- Popular Library of Famous Ancient Chinese Novels

Author: Li Yu of the Qing Dynasty, edited by Li Zhongliang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Sun Jiaodi, a renowned novelist and historian, said, "When it comes to short stories in the Qing Dynasty, apart from Li Yu, there was truly no one else." Li Yu's life was one of a playwright and novelist. He abandoned the path of the imperial examination system and dedicated his entire life to theater and fiction, which was rare among the literati and scholars of that era. A Quiet Drama inherits the tradition of storytelling novels from the Ming Dynasty's "Three Words" and "Two Snaps," focusing on the desires and mundane affairs of ordinary people. Its purpose largely revolves around moral lessons and the idea of retribution for good and evil. However, the morality that Li Yu promotes is far removed from the doctrines of Confucian scholars and even deliberately opposes them. When it comes to themes of love and marriage between men and women, Li Yu adopts a tolerant and understanding attitude, as seen in the story "Tan Chuyu and Liu Miaoquan," where actors fall in love and ultimately achieve a happy ending. This is the most outstanding story in A Quiet Drama. Li Yu was an extremely innovative and brilliantly talented artist who relentlessly pursued novelty and the extraordinary, making it a conscious pursuit in his writing. His novels feature unconventional themes, intricate plots, and unexpected twists. In terms of writing, they are clear in theme, well-structured, with distinct threads, meticulous in detail, and uniquely distinctive. Li Yu once said, "If I have any strengths in folk history, it is that I do not imitate the pout of a beautiful woman or pick up the spittle of a famous figure. My contemporaries' eyes and ears were refreshed by me."