Water Margin (Colored Illustration Picture Book in Colloquial Chinese)

Author: (Ming) Shi Nai'an
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The decline and corruption of the Song imperial family. Emperor Huizong of Song was indulgent in luxury, appointed the villain Cai Jing as prime minister, lived extravagantly, imposed heavy taxes on the people, and caused widespread suffering and banditry. This forced many people to take desperate measures. The Water Margin reflects the peasant uprising of that time. The rebel forces who were driven to Liangshan gathered on Liangshan Lake, waving the banner of "Serving Heaven and Righting Wrongs, Robbing the Rich to Help the Poor," recruiting many heroes, even some minor officials and merchants joined this large group. The deeds of these Liangshan heroes were widely talked about by the people, and were adapted into plays and stories. Later, an author named Shi Nai'an from the Yuan Dynasty compiled and re-created these stories, writing them into a long novel The Water Margin.