Yushi Mingyan (Volume 1 and 2) (Golden Embroidered Illustrations Complete Edition)

Author: Feng Menglong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Ancient Chinese vernacular short stories, originally intended as scripts for storytelling by performers and widely circulated among the common folk. By the late Ming Dynasty, some scholars edited, refined, and imitated these scripts for novel writing, and through the extensive printing and distribution by book merchants, vernacular novels had a significant impact on all social strata, especially the lower classes. Among these, the most notable are the two collections of scripts, "San Yan" and "Er Pai." "San Yan" consists of three collections of short stories edited and refined by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty: "Yushi Mingyan," "Jingshi Tongyan," and "Xingshi Hengyan." Each collection contains 40 stories, totaling 120. Because all titles contain the character "yan," they are collectively referred to as "San Yan." Feng Menglong (1574–1646), styled Yulong, was also known as Longziyou, Mohen Zhai Master, and Guqu Sanren, among other names. He was from Changzhou and served as the magistrate of Shejian in Shouning, gaining a reputation for his governance. During the Qing army's crossing of the Yangtze River, he participated in anti-Qing activities. He was prolific in his writings, particularly in popular literature, contributing significantly to the search, editing, organization, research, creation, and publication of vernacular literature. He revised works such as "Ping Yao Chuan" and "Xin Lie Guo Zhi." He also wrote the anecdotal novel "Gujin Tan Gai," the romance "Shuang Xiong Ji," and revised numerous plays by Tang Xianzu and others, collectively titled "Mohen Zhai Dingben Chuanqi," all of which are well-documented. The works collected in "San Yan," whether old pieces from the Song and Yuan dynasties or newly created or imitated by Feng Menglong, were all to varying degrees revised and polished by him. These stories cover a wide range of themes and are complex in content. Some condemn the vices of feudal officials while praising the virtues of upright officials, while others celebrate friendship and love while condemning treachery and betrayal. Notably, many works depict the lives of urban commoners. Examples include "Shi Runze Tanque Yu You," "Jiang Xingge Chonghui Zhenzhu Shan," "Du Shiniang Nu Chen Bai Bao Xiang," and "Mai Youlang Du Zhan Hua Kui." In these stories, emphasis is placed on the importance of respecting human emotions and values, and the moral standards and marriage principles they advocate often clash with feudal rituals and traditional concepts. They reflect the vibrant ideological consciousness of urban citizens. The outstanding works in "San Yan" not only prioritize complete plots, intricate storytelling, and rich details but also employ various literary techniques to portray character personalities. Their publication advanced the development and flourishing of short stories, marking the formation of the national style and characteristics of Chinese vernacular short fiction. "Yushi Mingyan" contains 40 stories, mostly from the Song and Yuan dynasties, with some imitations from the Ming Dynasty. The themes are largely derived from folk traditions, though some are adapted from historical tales or previous novels. They reflect the contemporary urban life and the cruelty of feudal rule, though many also promote feudal teachings. The language is clear and fluent. "Yushi Mingyan" has been preserved in versions such as the Xu Zhai edition from the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty. The present edition has been compiled based on numerous versions, carefully selecting the best and refining them into the current edition. The illustrations used in this book are selected from fine examples of (embroidered illustrations) from past editions, with contemporary Ming-style paintings imitating the aesthetics of the Ming and Qing dynasties.