World--Chinese Modern Gangs: Famous People Lecture Hall

Author: Zhang Cheng (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Where there are people, there is a "jianghu." The intense social upheaval and the psychological disorientation of people during China's modern period led to the "jianghuization" or "gongfuhua" of modern China. Brushing away the dust of history reveals a world of jianghu filled with conflicts, swords, and daggers. The beggar gang, the axe gang, the Qing Gang, the Paoguo, the secret societies, and the legendary masters who rose to prominence in the jianghu all make their appearances in our daily language. There is a series of words that are not complimentary: the axe gang, the master, to settle matters, Shanghai, the hall, and so on. Behind these words lies a broader, more encompassing term: jianghu! Familiar names often turn out to be unfamiliar concepts upon closer examination. So, what exactly is jianghu? Who is in the jianghu? And what is in the jianghu? This book will take you into the world of the jianghu, a realm composed of modern secret societies. The "gongfu" was a revolution in the making—it had no name for revolution but carried out revolutionary actions. Among the people of the "gongfu," there were indeed scoundrels, but there were also many who possessed knowledge, thought, ambition, and courage. They upheld the virtue of "yi" (righteousness) and dared to act boldly. The complexity of Chinese society is unfathomable, and reading the history of the "gongfu" may help us rediscover those lost memories. Whether you are someone with little or extensive experience, someone who values loyalty or not, a admirer of traditional culture, or someone who wants to understand or not understand Chinese society, this book is for you.