Dictionary of Appreciating Ancient Novels (Volume 2) -- Ming and Qing

Author: Huang Lin et al
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-12-01
Features: Ancient Chinese fiction has a long history, with a lengthy process of incubation, emergence, and development. The concept of fiction has also evolved over time. The novels collected in this book span a wide time frame and cover a broad range of themes, including myths, fables, anecdotes, strange tales, romances, storytelling texts, and serial chapters, all of which feature numerous renowned works. The book is rich in content, with outstanding pieces appearing one after another, showcasing the unique charm of ancient Chinese fiction from different historical periods and social perspectives. The critical essays in the book attempt to analyze and evaluate the original texts from the perspectives of historical materialism and dialectical materialism, while also striving to uncover their aesthetic and cultural heritage value, aiming to provide readers with artistic enjoyment. The book selects nearly 600 novels from the pre-Qin period to the late Qing Dynasty. The main body of the book generally includes three parts: the original text of the novel, annotations, and critical essays, designed to save space by omitting the original texts of commonly available and easily accessible novels. The versions of the novels are chosen with consideration for their authenticity and supplemented with appropriate annotations. When multiple annotations are needed within the same clause, they are combined under a single note number.