Say it Anew: Yi Zhongtian

Author: Cai Dong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Explaining history in a popular way might help the less educated understand stories, but it could also mislead them about the historical facts. It shouldn’t be seen as an encyclopedia of self-interest for a vast and profound Three Kingdoms period. Some netizens, however, support Yi Zhongtian’s entertaining approach to history, arguing that popular doesn’t equal distortion. Humor and entertainment are just forms of expression, and there’s no requirement for explaining history to be solemn or heavy. Some scholars believe that Yi Zhongtian targets Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a target, failing to distinguish between history and literature, not respecting the literary nature of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and being unfair to the work and its readers who enjoy it. On the other hand, some philosophers praise Yi Zhongtian’s interpretation of historical figures, as it reflects his personal insights into the times and society. He has a keen understanding of the secular world and good intuition, able to perceive the human nature in history through his own experiences. A literature advisor points out that Yi Zhongtian’s popularity isn’t a victory of enlightenment or a fusion of elite and popular culture, and there are even inaccurate historical judgments. Yet, some master historians strongly support Yi Zhongtian, arguing that to overcome the marginalization of historical studies, one must reinterpret history in a more vivid way, just like Yi Zhongtian does. This book offers a new perspective of criticizing and praising, guiding readers who either like or dislike Yi Zhongtian to revisit the discussions about him. It encourages a calm examination of Yi’s successes and shortcomings.