Awakening World Stories (Full Two Volumes)

Author: Feng Menglong (Ming Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: In the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty's Tianqi era, A Dream of Splendid Reality was published by Ye Jingchi, a book publisher in Suzhou. With this, the grand publishing project of the "Three Words" series, which had been warmly welcomed and eagerly anticipated by readers, was finally completed. Compared to the other two books, A Dream of Splendid Reality showed some new characteristics in content and themes, and it was even more mature in art. Therefore, it was the most widely circulated, influential, and talked-about book among the "Three Words." In A Dream of Splendid Reality, Shi Runze's Encounter with Friends at the Tidal Barrier is one of the most famous stories, reflecting the prosperity of urban and rural commerce and industry in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. In terms of marriage and love themes, Ma Youlang's Exclusive Love for the Beauty stands out as the most outstanding. Other stories like Qian Xiucai's Mistaken Match with the Phoenix, Qiao Magistrate's Chaotic Love Match, Zhou Shengxian's Passionate Love at the Ruan Tower, and Su Xiaomei's Three Trials of the New Bride all portray new characters with fresh ideas and morals, bearing distinct marks of their time. A Dream of Splendid Reality demonstrates a mature artistic level. The characters are vivid and well-developed, with even more distinct personalities. The plot design is more compact and ingenious, showcasing the author's ingenuity. The use of colloquial and lifelike literary language is even more refined and natural, displaying diverse styles—truly a kaleidoscope of artistry.