The Temptation of Nanzi

Author: Shi Liang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This is a book that collects seven short historical novels. The protagonists include Confucius, Zhang Liang, the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove," Wu Weiye, the Third Prince of Zhu, Qian Qianyi, and Ruan Dachu, as well as literary giants like Cao Xueqin. Though they lived in different eras, they all faced chaotic times; they endured various hardships but remained steadfast in their ideals. In the face of changing political circumstances, Confucius traveled from state to state promoting benevolent governance; Zhang Liang assassinated Qin Shi Huang at Bolaoshan; the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove," such as Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Xiang Xiu, and Shan Tao, either feigned madness through drink, spoke boldly, or adapted to the times; Wu Weiye reluctantly accepted a high-ranking position with deep concerns; the Third Prince of Zhu wandered in hardship, merely seeking survival; Qian Qianyi and Ruan Dachu engaged in fierce rivalry; Cao Xueqin celebrated joy while the author of the novel strived to maintain the true appearances of historical figures, portraying their struggles and frustrations in their relentless resistance to fate and their quests for meaning. Through these stories, one can glimpse the real lives of intellectuals from all social strata during periods of dynastic change, political shifts, and upheavals, such as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the late Qin and early Han, the Wei and Jin era, and the fall of the Ming and rise of the Qing.