Water Margin (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Yu Wanchun (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: In the 27th year of the Daoguang reign (1847), Yu Wanchun of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, completed The Water Margin Chronicles. It demonstrates a high artistic level, with many chapters rivaling the original Water Margin in quality. However, it also sees the beloved heroes of Liangshan, who are deeply revered by people, meet tragic ends, with none spared. The cruelty of its plot is shocking. Yu Wanchun's continuation of Water Margin follows the 70-chapter version commented on by Jin Shengtan, and his ideas are a direct continuation of those expressed two centuries earlier by Jin Shengtan. He created powerful figures like the sorcerers Chen Xizhen and Chen Liqing, as well as the brave and virtuous Yun Longbiao and Liu Huiniang, who were tasked with assisting Zhang Suzhou in besieging Liangshan and capturing and executing all 108 heroes. These characters were stripped of their humanity and condemned to eternal damnation, embodying the principle of "supporting the king and suppressing bandits." Jin Shengtan beheaded Water Margin, but Yu Wanchun swept it clean. Lu Xun, in A Brief History of Chinese Fiction, said: "In the creation of plots and writing style, the book sometimes nearly rivals the original Water Margin, and the scenes it depicts also contain elements unseen in Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong's work. Among the numerous similar novels that revolve around old tales, it stands out as one of the best. This novel serves as a historical specimen, allowing us to gain a profound understanding of the thoughts and culture of China's feudal era."