Legend is not equal to fact

Author: Li Dezhu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: A five-thousand-year-old civilization has passed down a vast number of folk legends. With the advancement of media and the flourishing of arts, many folk legends have entered households across the continent and even spread beyond Asia. Legends (including tales, satirical stories, mythical accounts, and rumors) have been passed down through generations for thousands of years, both orally and in written form, with varying versions and content. These differences inevitably deviate from the original facts, sometimes even completely contradicting them. Facts (including official histories, local chronicles, genealogies, archaeological artifacts, and personal testimonies) are objectively real. The state compiles official histories, prefectures and counties compile local chronicles, and families maintain genealogies, forming the three pillars of the historical structure of China's patriarchal society. These historical records, through continuous historical interpretation and the process of distinguishing truth from fiction, have grown increasingly close to the actual events. This book does not equate legends with facts. Based on the author's mastery of relevant historical materials and insights from historical studies, 80 secrets, anecdotes, and romantic tales of historical public figures were selected from the vast pool of folk legends for research, comparison, judgment, and argumentation, resulting in this book.
A five-thousand-year-old civilization has passed down a vast number of folk legends. With the advancement of media and the flourishing of arts, many folk legends have entered households across the continent and even spread beyond Asia. Legends (including tales, satirical stories, mythical accounts, and rumors) have been passed down through generations for thousands of years, both orally and in written form, with varying versions and content. These differences inevitably deviate from the original facts, sometimes even completely contradicting them. Facts (including official histories, local chronicles, genealogies, archaeological artifacts, and personal testimonies) are objectively real. The state compiles official histories, prefectures and counties compile local chronicles, and families maintain genealogies, forming the three pillars of the historical structure of China's patriarchal society. These historical records, through continuous historical interpretation and the process of distinguishing truth from fiction, have grown increasingly close to the actual events. This book does not equate legends with facts. Based on the author's mastery of relevant historical materials and insights from historical studies, 80 secrets, anecdotes, and romantic tales of historical public figures were selected from the vast pool of folk legends for research, comparison, judgment, and argumentation, resulting in this book.
This book is divided into five major categories: "Fiction and Diverse Interpretations," "Distorted History and Rectification," "Ambiguous Truths and Mysterious Origins," "Misattributed Stories and Multiple Marriages," and "Gathering of Mortals and Immortals, Eternal Fame." It aims to provide detailed explanations of the origins of legendary figures such as the fictional beauty Xi Shi, Cao Zhi's "Seven Steps Poem," the talented Zhou Wenbin of Suzhou, and the female general Mu Guiying. It attempts to rectify the reputations of figures like Cai Boqie of the late Han Dynasty, Jiang Ping of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Yan of Shu Han, and Chen Shimei of the Ming Dynasty, presenting the reasons and facts behind these corrections. It also clarifies the misattributions of stories such as the legend of Meng Jiangnu, Zhuge Liang's "Empty Fort Strategy," and Lü Mengzheng's "Post-Dinner Bell," restoring the historical truth. The book objectively presents the deification processes of historical figures like the origins of the Cold Food Festival and Dragon Boat Festival, the Three Lords (Guan Yu, Bao Gong, and Ji Gong), Xu Fu, and Zhaojun, hoping to help readers gain a correct understanding of these figures who still live on in people's hearts as gods and humans.