() () World Warns (Volume 1 and 2) (Complete Embroidered Illustrations Full Edition)

Author: Feng Menglong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Ancient Chinese vernacular short stories, originally intended as scripts for storytelling by performers, which had been widely circulated among the common people for a long time. 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 achievements were the two collections of scripts, "San Yan" and "Er Pai." "San Yan" consists of three short story collections edited and refined by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty: "Yushi Mingyan," "Jingshi Tongyan," and "Xingshi Hengyan." Each collection contains 40 stories, totaling 120 stories. Because each title contains the character "yan," they are collectively referred to as "San Yan." Feng Menglong (1574-1646), styled Yulong, was also known as Longziyuyou, Mohen Zhai Master, and Guqu Sanren, among other names. He was from Changzhou. He once served as the magistrate of Shejian in Shouning and gained a good reputation for his governance. During the Qing army's crossing of the Yangtze River, he participated in anti-Qing activities. He was extremely prolific in his writings throughout his life, especially in popular literature, making significant contributions in searching, editing, organizing, researching, and publishing. 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 included in "San Yan," whether old pieces from the Song and Yuan dynasties or newly created or imitated by Feng Menglong during the Ming Dynasty, were all to varying degrees revised, edited, and polished by him. These works cover a wide range of themes and complex content. Some condemn the vices of feudal officials while praising the virtues of upright officials; others celebrate friendship and love while condemning treachery and betrayal. What is particularly noteworthy is that 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 Kuai." In these works, emphasis is placed on the importance of respecting human emotions and values, and the moral standards and marriage principles they advocate are in conflict with feudal ethics and traditional concepts. They embody the vibrant ideological consciousness of urban citizens. The outstanding works in "San Yan" not only value complete storytelling, intricate plots, and rich details but also employ various artistic techniques to portray character personalities. Their publication promoted the development and flourishing of short stories, marking the formation of the national style and characteristics of Chinese vernacular short fiction. "Jingshi Tongyan" was originally titled "Kaiyi Jushi Ping" and "Molang Zhai Jiao." It includes forty stories, some from the Song and Yuan dynasties and others imitated by Ming Dynasty authors, with a consistent linguistic style. The themes are largely drawn from previous novels, and many stories are widely known in folk circles, with many female characters being particularly prominent. "Jingshi Tongyan" exists in three Ming Dynasty printed editions. The compilation of this book was based on numerous versions, carefully selecting the best and learning from the virtuous to create the current edition. The illustrations used in this book are mostly selected from fine examples of (embroidered illustrations) from past editions, and contemporary renowned painters were commissioned to create illustrations in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.