中国四大名著英文简介（重赏)
东拼西凑，搜集了一堆资料，楼主自己整理一下吧，去其糟粕，取其精华。自己写我是没这个实力的了，毕竟还是很有些专业的东西在里面……
Chinese Literature - Novels and fiction
Hongloumeng 红楼梦The Dream of the Red Chamber
Also called The story of the Stone (Shitouji 石头记), this novel written by Cao Xueqin 曹雪芹 (d. 1763) is said to be the greatest masterpiece of Chinese fiction. A wide branched scholarship does not consent about the main theme of this novel, should it be a novel of sentiment, of Daoist-Buddhist enlightenment, of social observation, of the decay of an aristocratic familiy, or even a veiled attack on Manchu rule. The frame of the novel is the contest of a Buddhist and a Daoist priest who make be born a young noble boy called Jia Baoyu 贾宝玉 and his girl cousin Lin Daiyu 林黛玉. With a loving detail describing the life of the two cousins in a huge noble mansion, between gardens and palaces, the red thread is the triangular love between Baoyu, Daiyu and a second girl cousin called Xue Baochai 薛宝钗 that is of more plumper character than the ever sick Daiyu. Switching between their life, the divine world and dreams, Baoyu becomes deranged after the disappearance of a stone (the origin of the second title) he had in his mouth when he was born. Not knowing, his love Daiyu died, he is tricked to marrying Baochai. Becoming aware of being tricked, Baoyu leaves the world of the red dust and becomes a monk. With hundreds of persons and their stories, paralleling the life and feelings of servants to the life of the main persons, the story is very complex and full of symbolisms, but very interesting and convincing for its encyclopedic character, depicting the life of a noble familiy in the 18th century Qing China 清.
三国演义Romance of The Three Kingdoms
Romance of The Three Kingdoms is one of the great chinese classics and is compiled into a semi-fictional literary masterpiece during the Ming Dynasty by Luo Guanzhong. The novel comprises around 70+% fact and 20+% fiction. Some issues such as Guan Yu"s weapon weighing around 40+ kilograms, the capabilties of Lu Bu, Liu Bei"s horses as well as the existence of the Hill of the Fallen Phoenix and some others are probably fictional.
That period in history can be said as the golden age of chivalry and although it happened more than 1700 years ago, characters such as Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhuge Liang have become household names among the chinese. Tales of their exploits, courage, adventures and many more are told in the novel Romance of The Three Kingdoms.
It is one of the most turbulent periods in China"s history taking place toward the end of the Han Dynasty where corruption is rampant in the imperial court due to eunuches holding power. Coupled with natural disasters such as floods, plague and locust swarms devouring the crops grown by the peasants, hunger and disatisfaction among the peasants soon escalated rapidly until a major rebellion known as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion led by Zhang Jiao broke out. (It was dubbed Yellow Scarves because the rebels tied a yellow scarf on their head). Initially just a small band of rebels, due to widespread hunger and ill-sentiment among the populace, swarms of common folks joined in the rebellion across many parts of the country.
三国演义人物介绍
刘备
Liu Bei (161C223 AD), styled Xuándé (玄), was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Although having a later start than his rivals, also lacking both the material resources and social status they commanded, Liu Bei overcame his many defeats to carve out his own realm, that at its peak spanned modern day Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, part of Hubei, and part of Gansu.
Culturally, due to the tremendously popular novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, Liu Bei is widely known as the ideal benevolent, humane ruler who cared for his people and picked good advisors. His character was to advocate the Confucian set of moral values, such as loyalty and compassion.
张飞
Zhang Fei (?-221 AD) was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China.
Zhang Fei was shown to have been a masterful general rather than simply a warrior. He treated his superiors with respect, but had little respect for his underlings. He was often warned by Liu Bei that his habit of over-punishing his own soldiers by lashing and killing would eventually bring himself disaster.
Zhang Fei married Xiahou Yuan"s daughter, who was captured by Zhang Fei"s troops as she was out gathering firewood. They had a total of two daughters, and the older daughter became the empress of Shu Han after marrying Liu Shan, with Zhuge Liang as the matchmaker. After Zhang Fei"s eldest daughter had passed away due to natural causes, Zhuge Liang once again played the role of matchmaker, and Liu Shan married Zhang Fei"s younger daughter, who thus succeeded her older sister to become the empress of Shu Han.
Zhang Fei is best portrayed through his description and actions depicted in Records of Three Kingdoms biography by Chen Shou. Some claim that Zhang Fei was also an excellent painter.
Zhang Fei was killed by his own men Zhang Da and Fan Jiang, while preparing his troops to attack the rival Eastern Wu to avenge the death of Guan Yu. Zhang Da and Fan Jiang went on to defect to Wu.
水浒传Outlaws of the Marsh
The novel Outlaws of the Marsh is somewhat like the Iliad and Odyssey... An ancient epic tale... no one remembers the period it was composed and immortalized.
One knows this story is based on real facts and has inspired many storytellers.
One knows the North Song Dynasty (XIIIth Century) lived its apogee and declined, a victim of corruption and decadence.
One finds historical traces of these outlaws who challenged the imperial authority and died under the executioner"s blade.
At last, as anyone knows today that a man called Homer wrote the Iliad and Odyssey, no one doubts anymore that a man called Shi Nai-an wrote down during the XIVth century the novel Outlaws of the Marsh that reached us.
Everyone recognizes that Jin Sheng-tan, during the XVIIth century, published what is now famous as the original version of a novel that obtained the interest and infatuation of successive generations.
Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh (All men are brothers in Pearl Buck"s translation, Shui hu zhuan in Chinese, Au Bord de l"Eau in French ) is an immortal novel because its tale is universal : it speaks of beings (outlaws but also notables, strong muscled heroes but also intellectual, anarchists but also philosophers...) who cannot bear injustice nor abuse nor arbitrariness...
That is the reason they are immortal and their popularity has lasted for centuries .
Discover the 108 heroes, the episodes , the paper-cuts representing them, the Beijing operas their fighting exploits inspired...
人物
Gai Ping Health gave special love make the world anyway, famous arena. Like charges to stick, chicken, and did not take wives, all hit others physique. Village Creek Village haunted legends, villagers digging a river in the town engraved art, ghost was rushed to the East seven. Classical hell, then alone will be engraved Creek Village in places away from the East side down. Thus so-called Tota kings.
晁盖平 生仗义疏财，专爱结交天下好汉，闻名江湖。喜欢刺枪使棒，身强力壮，不取妻室，终日打熬筋骨。传说邻村西溪村闹鬼，村人凿了一个青石宝塔镇在溪边，鬼就被赶到了东溪村。晁盖大怒，就去西溪村独自将青石宝塔夺了过来在东溪边放下。因此人称“托塔天王”。
西游记Pilgrimage to the West
Journey to the West is a mythological novel based on many centuries of popular tradition. It was probably put into its present form in the 15708 by Wu Cheng’en (1500-82).
This lively fantasy relates the amazing adventures of the priest San-zang as he travels west in search of Buddhist sutras with his three disciples, the irreverent and capable on-
key, greedy Pig, and Friar Sand. The opening chapters recount the earlier exploits of Monkey, culminating in his rebellion against Heaven. We then learn how Sanzang became a monk and was sent on his pilgrimage by the Tang emperor who had escaped death with the help of an Underworld official.
The main story, the journey, takes the priest through all kinds of entertaining trials and tribulations, mainly at the
hands of monsters and spirits who want to eat him. Only the courage and powers of his disciples, especially Monkey, save him from death. Monkey is the hero of the fantasy, and the reader will soon learn why he has long been so loved in China. Will the pilgrims reach the Vulture Peak and obtain the Scriptures? The answer will only be found at the end of the lOO-chapter novel.
The story is as full of imagination as Monkey is of magic, and packed with incident and down-to-earth humour. The illustrations are from 19th-century Chinese edition. This is the first of the three volumes of the novel.
<<水浒传>>
施耐庵，原名耳，又名子安.元末明初人，一般认为是长篇小说《水浒传》最早的创作者。关于其生平，至今尚无确切的资料，据说他生于元成宗元贞二年(1296年)，卒于明太祖洪武三年(1370年)。.兴化白驹场（今大丰县白驹镇）人，祖籍苏州。自幼聪明好学，善长能诗擅文，才华出众。25岁中进士后，任钱塘县官两年。由于生活在元朝的残酷统治下，经历元末激烈的农民起义，深感自己与当道的权贵不合，决定归隐，闭门著书。农民起义领袖张士诚曾劝他出山，被谢绝，朱元璋也多次召他，坚辞不应聘。元至正二十六年（1366年）冬，朱元璋与张士诚交战，他为避战乱，迁来白驹唱西18里的地方定居。 相传定居处的村西头有一芦苇荡，占地10 余亩，当中芦苇繁茂，余下甚多，每到秋冬季节，野鸭成群飞来。荡口直通河溪，沟河交岔。荡中有一土墩，高露水面。施耐庵即以此为梁山水泊，于好友罗贯中结伴，做了小船到此，登临丘上，以体验其境界，并从事创作。最后终于完成巨著《水浒传》。《水浒传》庙学了南宋末年官逼民反的历史真实，热情讴歌了农民起义的正义性。由于作者文笔精工，状物肖妙，塑造了108 位草莽英雄的生动形象，其艺术性为世界文学史所重视。这部传奇式的小说，长期以来，以至为海内外所欢迎。 关于施耐庵的祖籍问题，尚有争论，已有苏州、钱塘、兴化、盐城、淮安各种说法。这些地方人民都以他为本乡人而荣，可见人民对他热爱之深。今天，大丰县白驹镇发现了大量的施耐庵文物及施氏宗谱。经国内有关专家确认，施耐庵应为我们盐城人。
<<西游记>>
吴承恩（1506-1582），字汝忠，号射阳，明代文学家明代淮安河下人，小说《西游记》的作者。他生不逢时，一生坎坷。然而在他下世400年后，他的墓地、骨骸以及他的一些碑刻手迹被发现。现已于淮安河下打铜巷重建“射阳*”吴承思故居，马甸乡的二堡村吴承恩墓地也修茸一新。少年时，吴承恩喜听淮河水神及僧伽大圣等故事，中年后，开始将唐僧西游故事，结合唐人传奇、佛道经典、民间故事，淮安地方掌故，在其书房射阳（竹移）中，创作成百回本小说《西游记》。此书一问世，就被誉为“四大奇书”之一，成为世界文坛瑰宝。吴承恩擅长绘画、书法，多才多艺。然而科举不利，至中年始为岁贡生。60岁时出任长兴县丞，又因与长官不谐，拂袖而归。后又聘任过荆王府纪善。吴承恩原配夫人生一子，名吴凤毛，聘状元沈坤女，因凤毛早夭而未行，后又娶牛氏。 吴承恩父亲吴锐（1461-1532），字廷器，号菊翁，为人忠厚，喜谈说史传，好游淮地名胜古寺，常给幼年吴承恩讲述民间神魔故事。万事大吉锐娶经营花边花线的商人女儿徐氏。徐氏生一女，名吴承嘉，嫁与淮安户部尚书沈翼的族人沈山。中年后吴锐又娶张氏，生著名的文学家吴承恩。
<<红楼梦>>
曹雪芹(1715～1763)？清代小说家。名，字梦阮，雪芹是其号，又号芹圃、芹溪。祖籍辽阳，先世原是汉族，后为满洲正白旗“包衣”人。曹雪芹的曾祖曹玺任江宁织造。曾祖母孙氏做过康熙帝玄烨的保姆。祖父曹寅做过玄烨的伴读和御前侍卫，后任江宁织造，兼任两淮巡盐监察御使，极受玄烨宠信。玄烨六下江南，其中四次由曹寅负责接驾，并住在曹家。曹寅病故，其子曹、曹\先后继任江宁织造。他们祖孙三代四人担任此职达60年之久。曹雪芹自幼就是在这“秦淮风月”之地的“繁华”生活中长大的。雍正初年，由于封建统治阶级内部政治斗争的牵连，曹家遭受一系列打击。曹\以“行为不端”、“骚扰驿站”和“亏空”罪名革职，家产抄没。曹\下狱治罪，“枷号”一年有余。这时，曹雪芹随着全家迁回北京居住。曹家从此一蹶不振，日渐衰微。经历了生活中的重大转折,曹雪芹深感世态炎凉,对封建社会有了更清醒、更深刻的认识。他蔑视权贵，远离官场，过着贫困如洗的艰难日子。晚年,曹雪芹移居北京西郊。生活更加穷苦,“满径蓬蒿”,“举家食粥”。他以坚韧不拔的毅力,专心一志地从事《红楼梦》的写作和修订。乾隆二十七年(1762)，幼子夭亡，他陷于过度的忧伤和悲痛，卧床不起。到了这一年的除夕(1763年2月12日),终于因贫病无医而逝世(关于曹雪芹逝世的年份，另有乾隆二十八年和二十九年两种说法)。 曹雪芹“身胖，头广而色黑”。他性格傲岸，愤世嫉俗，豪放不羁。嗜酒，才气纵横，善谈吐。曹雪芹是一位诗人。他的诗，立意新奇，风格近于唐代诗人李贺。他的友人敦诚曾称赞说：“爱君诗笔有奇气,直追昌谷破篱樊。”又说：“知君诗胆昔如铁,堪与刀颖交寒光。”但他的诗仅存题敦诚《琵琶行传奇》两句：“白傅诗灵应喜甚，定教蛮素鬼排场。”曹雪芹又是一位画家，喜绘突兀奇峭的石头。敦敏《题芹圃画石》说：“傲骨如君世已奇，嶙峋更见此支离。醉余奋扫如椽笔。写出胸中块磊时。”可见他画石头时寄托了胸中郁积着的不平之气。曹雪芹的最大的贡献还在于小说的创作。他的小说《红楼梦》内容丰富，思想深刻，艺术精湛，把中国古典小说创作推向最高峰，在文学发展史上占有十分重要的地位。《红楼梦》是他“披阅十载，增删五次”，“字字看来皆是血，十年辛苦不寻常”的产物。可惜，在他生前,全书没有完稿。今传《红楼梦》120回本，其中前80回的绝大部分出于他的手笔，后40回则为他人所续。80回以后他已写出一部分初稿，但由于种种原因而没有流传下来。
<<三国演义>>
罗贯中 元末明初小说家、戏曲家。生卒年不详。据考订，一般认为，名本，字贯中。杭州人，祖籍太原。明初贾仲明在《录鬼簿续编》中称其与己为忘年交，至正甲辰复会，别来又六十余年，竟不知其所终。鲁迅定罗贯中生活年代为约1330至1400（《中国小说史略》第十四篇），郑振铎定为约1328至1398（《中国文学论集》上册《三国志演义的演化》），即大致从元文宗到明太祖这一时期。关于他的名字清嘉庆翻刻明代杨美生本《三国英雄志传》署元东原罗贯中演义，明代高儒《百川书志》卷六史部・野史著录《三国志通俗演义》，署明罗本贯中编次,各以其跨越元明,而分署两个朝代。关于他的名字，《录鬼簿续编》只记罗贯中，……号湖海散人，未言其名、字。明郎瑛《七修类稿》卷二十三三国、宋江演义条、《西湖游览志□》卷二十五及嘉靖壬午本《三国志通俗演义》、万历己未本《隋唐两朝志传》、李卓吾批点本《残唐五代史演传》等均称罗本贯中或贯中罗本，一般认为本是名，贯中是字。关于他的籍贯，《录鬼簿续编》称罗贯中太原人，而明刊《三国》、《水浒》等小说则往往署东原罗贯中。东原,相当今山东东平、汶上、宁阳一带。《七修类稿》称杭人罗本贯中，《西湖游览志□》称钱塘罗贯中本，清初周亮工《书影》卷一称越人罗贯中，疑《录鬼簿续编》所记太原是罗贯中的祖籍，杭州则是罗贯中实际生活和活动的地方。东原当由太原致讹，一如《水浒志传评林》署名由东原再误作中原。关于他的生平，《录鬼簿续编》记载罗贯中与人寡合，遭时多故，与贾仲明各天一方。王圻《稗史汇编》谓罗贯中与葛可久皆有志图王者，因值朱元璋这样的真主统一了天下，葛就寄神医工，罗则传神稗史。大约罗贯中生当元末社会动乱，有自己的政治理想，不苟同于流俗，东奔西走，参加了反元的起义斗争，明朝建立之后，即结束了政治生涯，而专心致力于小说创作。清代徐渭仁《徐□所绘水浒一百单八将图题跋》又谓罗贯中客伪吴，欲讽士诚，以为罗贯中曾入吴王张士诚幕，虽系传说，但亦不无可能。明代天启三年黄正甫刻本《三国志通俗演义》关于他的著作，《西湖游览志□》称罗贯中编撰小说数十种，又相传他有《十七史演义》的巨著。今存署名由他编著的小说有《三国志通俗演义》、《隋唐两朝志传》、《残唐五代史演传》、《三遂平妖传》。
四大名著：
《红楼梦》：
1、The Story of Stone《石头记》
2、A Dream of Red Mansions/Chamber（红色大楼/房间的梦）
3、The Cowherd and the Weaving Girl（牛郎和织女）
《三国演义》：
1、《Romantic of Three Kingdoms》―― 三个王国的罗曼史
《水浒传》
1、《一百零五个男人和三个女人的故事》
2、《All Men Are Brothers: Blood of the Leopard》――四海之内皆兄弟：豹子的血
3、美国女作家赛珍珠翻译《水浒》七十一回本，取名为《四海之内皆兄弟》
4、《OUTLAWS IN THE MARSH》――沼泽地里的逃犯
最早德文译名是《强盗与士兵》；法文译名是《中国的勇士们》；英文译本为《在河边发生的故事》
《西游记》： Journey to the West（去西方旅游）
Monkey / The Monkey King（猴王
No.1 The Dream of Red Chamber
Once upon a time the goddess Nv Gua level several thousands pieces of stone to repair the damage post of heaven. One extra stone that did not fit and as discard at the foot of a mountain.
This ethereal stone discover a lovely but frail but celestial camp by the river of the spirits in the west. Everyday it watered the plants with sweet dew the plant nourished by the dew took essence of heaven and earth. After centuries of polishing the stone took on human forms and descended to earth and becoming the hero and heroin of the dream of the red chamber a complex brilliant and profound drama.
Among the Chinese classics the dream of the red chamber has been most widely red and studied by the general public and scholars its conception in the later part of the 18th century. Besides its mythical beginning more then 400 human characters come to life in the Jia palace throughout the one hundredth and twenty chapters of this book. They vividly and realistically unveil a pure world and the spiritual world and the love and hatred and the good and evil desiccant and consonant.
For over one hundredth years the dream of the red chamber has attracted millions of people from all walks of life. It especially appeals to young people because the entire antagonist in the story is young as well. The book is a masterpiece due to its vast repertoire and reservoir of artistic achievements the bound philosophy of life simultaneously coupled with a compelling love story.
The hero of the dream of the red chamber is the human form of the discard ethereal stone. He was born holding a precious stone in his mouth and so named Bao Yu precious stone. He is the lifeblood of the Jia family protagonist of the love story and preacher of the philosophy of life. The main plot of the novel is the entangle love triangle among Bao Yu the imperial stone Xian Yu the transform celestial plant and Dai Yuthe destine earthly love possessing the gold medallion with an inscription matching the one on the precious stone from the couple. The secondary plot evolves around the rise and decline of the Jia family.
A series of events of characters unfold around these two plots the detailed and structured analysis of the entwined relationships among the novels innumerous characters. Enable the readers to get a thrall understanding of the rise and decline of a prominent family and a taste of love and hatred joy and sorrow and reunion and separation.
The author Cao Xue-qin was born in the early part of the 18th century during the period of emperor Kong Xi and died in the 27th year of reign of emperor Chin in the Ching dynasty. Historical research reveals that the personal experiences of the authors bare striking similarities to the events setting of this novel.
Bao Yu is protagonist was a pampered child who faced high expectations he took no interest in fame or wealth but rather indulged himself in the company of androgen of female playmate from both high and low classes. He proclaimed that girls are creatures of water and that he could feel that freshness and cleanliness. Whereas men are the beams of slim he was overwhelmed by turbulence and filthiness merely by catching a sight of them. This is not a casual remark dropped by our hero. Indeed his whole life from his thoughts and feelings to his expressions and demeanor evolved around his contempt for fame and wealth His devotion to love and soul and his conspicuous opposition to patriarchal tradition.
No.1 The Dream of Red Chamber
Once upon a time the goddess Nv Gua level several thousands pieces of stone to repair the damage post of heaven. One extra stone that did not fit and as discard at the foot of a mountain.
This ethereal stone discover a lovely but frail but celestial camp by the river of the spirits in the west. Everyday it watered the plants with sweet dew the plant nourished by the dew took essence of heaven and earth. After centuries of polishing the stone took on human forms and descended to earth and becoming the hero and heroin of the dream of the red chamber a complex brilliant and profound drama.
Among the Chinese classics the dream of the red chamber has been most widely red and studied by the general public and scholars its conception in the later part of the 18th century. Besides its mythical beginning more then 400 human characters come to life in the Jia palace throughout the one hundredth and twenty chapters of this book. They vividly and realistically unveil a pure world and the spiritual world and the love and hatred and the good and evil desiccant and consonant.
For over one hundredth years the dream of the red chamber has attracted millions of people from all walks of life. It especially appeals to young people because the entire antagonist in the story is young as well. The book is a masterpiece due to its vast repertoire and reservoir of artistic achievements the bound philosophy of life simultaneously coupled with a compelling love story.
The hero of the dream of the red chamber is the human form of the discard ethereal stone. He was born holding a precious stone in his mouth and so named Bao Yu precious stone. He is the lifeblood of the Jia family protagonist of the love story and preacher of the philosophy of life. The main plot of the novel is the entangle love triangle among Bao Yu the imperial stone Xian Yu the transform celestial plant and Dai Yuthe destine earthly love possessing the gold medallion with an inscription matching the one on the precious stone from the couple. The secondary plot evolves around the rise and decline of the Jia family.
A series of events of characters unfold around these two plots the detailed and structured analysis of the entwined relationships among the novels innumerous characters. Enable the readers to get a thrall understanding of the rise and decline of a prominent family and a taste of love and hatred joy and sorrow and reunion and separation.
The author Cao Xue-qin was born in the early part of the 18th century during the period of emperor Kong Xi and died in the 27th year of reign of emperor Chin in the Ching dynasty. Historical research reveals that the personal experiences of the authors bare striking similarities to the events setting of this novel.
Bao Yu is protagonist was a pampered child who faced high expectations he took no interest in fame or wealth but rather indulged himself in the company of androgen of female playmate from both high and low classes. He proclaimed that girls are creatures of water and that he could feel that freshness and cleanliness. Whereas men are the beams of slim he was overwhelmed by turbulence and filthiness merely by catching a sight of them. This is not a casual remark dropped by our hero. Indeed his whole life from his thoughts and feelings to his expressions and demeanor evolved around his contempt for fame and wealth His devotion to love and soul and his conspicuous opposition to patriarchal tradition.
太多了，贴不下，自己去参考资料看吧
No.1 The Dream of Red Chamber
Once upon a time the goddess Nv Gua level several thousands pieces of stone to repair the damage post of heaven. One extra stone that did not fit and as discard at the foot of a mountain.
This ethereal stone discover a lovely but frail but celestial camp by the river of the spirits in the west. Everyday it watered the plants with sweet dew the plant nourished by the dew took essence of heaven and earth. After centuries of polishing the stone took on human forms and descended to earth and becoming the hero and heroin of the dream of the red chamber a complex brilliant and profound drama.
Among the Chinese classics the dream of the red chamber has been most widely red and studied by the general public and scholars its conception in the later part of the 18th century. Besides its mythical beginning more then 400 human characters come to life in the Jia palace throughout the one hundredth and twenty chapters of this book. They vividly and realistically unveil a pure world and the spiritual world and the love and hatred and the good and evil desiccant and consonant.
For over one hundredth years the dream of the red chamber has attracted millions of people from all walks of life. It especially appeals to young people because the entire antagonist in the story is young as well. The book is a masterpiece due to its vast repertoire and reservoir of artistic achievements the bound philosophy of life simultaneously coupled with a compelling love story.
The hero of the dream of the red chamber is the human form of the discard ethereal stone. He was born holding a precious stone in his mouth and so named Bao Yu precious stone. He is the lifeblood of the Jia family protagonist of the love story and preacher of the philosophy of life. The main plot of the novel is the entangle love triangle among Bao Yu the imperial stone Xian Yu the transform celestial plant and Dai Yuthe destine earthly love possessing the gold medallion with an inscription matching the one on the precious stone from the couple. The secondary plot evolves around the rise and decline of the Jia family.
A series of events of characters unfold around these two plots the detailed and structured analysis of the entwined relationships among the novels innumerous characters. Enable the readers to get a thrall understanding of the rise and decline of a prominent family and a taste of love and hatred joy and sorrow and reunion and separation.
The author Cao Xue-qin was born in the early part of the 18th century during the period of emperor Kong Xi and died in the 27th year of reign of emperor Chin in the Ching dynasty. Historical research reveals that the personal experiences of the authors bare striking similarities to the events setting of this novel.
Bao Yu is protagonist was a pampered child who faced high expectations he took no interest in fame or wealth but rather indulged himself in the company of androgen of female playmate from both high and low classes. He proclaimed that girls are creatures of water and that he could feel that freshness and cleanliness. Whereas men are the beams of slim he was overwhelmed by turbulence and filthiness merely by catching a sight of them. This is not a casual remark dropped by our hero. Indeed his whole life from his thoughts and feelings to his expressions and demeanor evolved around his contempt for fame and wealth His devotion to love and soul and his conspicuous opposition to patriarchal tradition.
The author successfully portrays many distinct female characters beaming with talent pose innocents and grace. Each drawing her own crowd the most important character other the leading male role of Bao Yu are twelve young ladies known as the twelve beauties of the imperial mausoleum. One of the distinct characteristics of this book is the great esteem given to women.
In this book even those chambermaids with rather low social status are given distinctive and unforgettable personalities. Being upright passionate loyal capable and efficient, Worth mentioning are the poem that the characters every count event. The author"s literary feats enable him to weave poetry in the pros and bleat personality and talent by presenting their inner woes. In a reflection of cultural and spiritual life of his time these poems for shadow the future developments of the plot as well as the fate of the books characters.
The elder daughter of the Jia family was name Yuan Chun and she was exulted as an imperial consort and granted a visit to her family. This family was wealthy and aristocratic and built a splendid and magnificent park to welcome her so those he young girls determined Bao Yu moved into the park. And in their new living quarters they enjoyed freedom like never before so they transformed the park into a kingdom of youth till it was passing dreams laughter and tears. The luxurious park then became a venue for gathering and as well as parties but however their heathenish lifestyle kept interrupting life styles of the family eventually drove was their downfall.
The luxurious park became a venue for frequent gathering and feasts, the promulgate and corrupting lifestyle of the family manifested in every gathering and feast sowed the seed of its ruin.
I buried the flower petals today they laugh at my foolishness when I die who will tend my tomb.
A poem written by Dai Yu her proclivity for being over sensitive and sentimental and her forlorn childhood are embodied in this poem. Orphaned and wretched; she was taken in by her maternal grandmother at a young age. She is a gifted beauty, proud a luck and eccentric but fragile and delicate. Thou her heart beats in harmony with Dai Yushe was thawed to her lifetime pursuit of perfect love. Owing largely to her external factors and partly to her own personality flaws. This poem represents a self-fulfilling prophecy of her tragic destiny.
Another hero Bao Chai is total different from Dai Yu except for her literary gift of beauty. She stands out among her peer as a worldly calm sedate an elegant young woman. Thou attractive and charming she lack the chased and romantic qualities of Dai Yu. Measured against traditional female virtues her disposition and demeanor make her the perfect candidate for the wife of a young aristocrat. In an arranged wedding, Bao Yu married her.
At the same time seaming joyful and lively moments the exhausted and desperate Dai Yu approaches the end of their life in complete isolation.
In addition to the tortured past by the leading characters every single person experienced there own ups and downs. Conflicts suffering and struggles start a few roads of life in there wonderful life. And so the paradise no longer can stand up to the impact of the outside world. Finally the Jia family abandons the palace and the splendor of it was lost forever. So this story depicts the rise and fall of the Jia family and its members.
Along with the family the declining fame and wealth the dark and desolate shadow is cast over Eden where the young members of the family take refuge. Under the same clear sky with the same moonlight hearing the same music the same people same feast but not the same atmosphere. Nor the same feeling everyone know deep in their hearts that this mundane earthly beauty delight will soon vanish.
Having lived through a separation and death and the decline of family our hero Bao Yu finally came to understand the emptiness of a material world. After he fulfilled his filial duties by marrying chi the women handpicked by his parents and passing his examinations for civil servant he returned to his spiritual origin and became a monk.
The story has now came full circle the precious stone eventually reverts to its ethereal address the tragic twist to the ending of the book brakes away from the shackles of traditional Confucian values and conventional happy endings.
In the dream of the red chamber the author communicates the deception of life and denounces the material world. He successfully depicts and portrays the characters and allows the reader to identify with family member"s friends and relatives and give the book influences that are positive as well as an outlet.
No.2 Romance of the Three Kingdoms
First of the five great works of traditional prose fiction, this master narrative transforms history into epic and has thereby educated and entertained readers of five centuries with unforgettable exemplars of martial and civic virtue, of personal fidelity and political treachery. The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been. Echoing the rhythms of Chinese history itself, the monumental tale Three Kingdoms begins. As important for Chinese culture as the Homeric epics have been for the West, this fourteenth-century masterpiece continues to be loved and read throughout China today. Three Kingdoms portrays a fateful moment at the end of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) when the future of the Chinese empire lay in the balance. Fearing attacks by three rebellious states, the emperor sent out an urgent appeal for support. In response, three young men - the aristocratic Liu Xuande, the fugitive Lord Guan, and the pig butcher Zhang Fei - met to swear eternal brotherhood and fealty to their beleaguered country. Their vow set in motion the series of events that ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Han. Writing centuries later, Luo Guanzhong drew on, often-told tales of this turbulent period to fashion a sophisticated narrative of loyalty and treachery, triumph and defeat, that came to epitomize all that was best and worst in the life of his country.
Three Kingdoms is the tale (part historical, part legend and myth) of the fall of the Later Han Dynasty of China. It chronicles the lives of those feudal lords and their retainers who tried to either replace the empire or restore it. While the novel actually follows literally hundreds of characters, the focus is mainly on the 3 families who would eventually carve out the 3 kingdoms from the remnants of the Han. The Liu family in the Shu kingdom led by Liu Bei, The Cao family in Wei led by Cao Cao, and the Sun family in Wu eventually led by Sun Quan. The book deals with the plots, personal and army battles, intrigues, and struggles of these families to achieve dominance for almost 100 yrs. This book also gives you a sense of the way the Chinese view their history: cyclical rather than linear (as in the West). The first and last lines of the book sum this view up best: "The empire long united must divide..." and "The empire long divided must unite..." If you are at least a little interested in Chinese history (ancient or modern) and culture this book is a must read.
No.3 Tale of Water Margin
In the final years of the song dynasty china was in a state of political and social turmoil. Besides frequent foreign invasion and a large number of man made and natural disasters there were also constant pheasant rebellion. In order to transform society and make it more equitable and human 108 heroes joined together in Shan-dong province Liang Shan to oppose the local officials and genitures. Thus began the corsages and moving drama on which the novel water margin is based.
Water margin is title Shui-Hu-Zhuan in Chinese and in English it is called all men are brothers or outlaws of the heart. The story originated and was widely told during the northern Tang dynasty. In the early years of the Yuan dynasty from 1271-1368 A.D., Legend has it that Shi Nai-an compiled and edited this long novel. People say that the story of heroes of the greenwoods who are leading characters of water margins is Chinas greatest novel of chivalry. Water margin is based on popular folk tales and fully reflects the thoughts and feelings prevalent at the time. Most importantly the novel depicts comrades among these men and the spirit of justice and accordance to the traditional ideals of the pheasants. Therefore a water margin has gained wide acceptances among the city dwellers as well. Readers can easily imagine that they are fond of the hidden world of the underworld and feel the vigorous life force of the common people the story begins in the Northern Song capital Bian Jing, which is now Kaifeng.
Arriving at the river on tomb sweeping day he picked the landscape of the Northern Song capitol Bian Jing. Rows of shops the hustle and bustle of large crowed that painting fully displayed Bian Jing flourishing economy and vibrant culture. Yet behinds this prosperous background many lurking dangers lay buried beneath the surface.
Because of the power of the Northern Song dynasty much of the empire northern territory was occupied by several barbarian tribes. At the same time the song court was being bankrupt by corrupt ministers who greatly abused their power. In this society corrupt officials and so-called gentlemen of aristocracy constantly bully the weak and cost untold hardship among the peasant In water margin there is a song that movingly portrays that this affection and misery faced by the.
Scorching sun burning like inferno rice stocks have weathered and in unending fields. The famous heart fill like flowing water while young aristocracies wait for time.
Since the local authorities in Liang Shan-po see them as bandits the common people call them good men. And consider them heroes moreover the peasant perceive that these man have become outlaws not to rob or plunder but to fulfill a much higher purpose.
In the absent of a just society they are forced to join together as brothers for a common purpose and mission. As the heroes travel the rebel"s roads their actions are easily identified with and moving to the common people.
(Liang Shan-po)
The leader of the Liang Shan is nick named kindly reign does this name express his ability to give aid in an emergency? Or head off danger or to head of at the right time to lend a helping hand?
Originally Song Jiang was a district magistrate with absolutely no intentions of becoming a rebel. However seeing the corruption of the government that caused the peasants a great deal of suffering and misery. Song deeply regretted his inability to effect change so Song picked up a pen and paper and wrote a poem to voice his aspirations and to criticize the government. After publishing the poem song was tried and sentenced to death but on the eve of his scheduled execution. Song Jiang was saved by Lee Kui a member of the Liang Shan brotherhood and led off to the safety of the mountain. After his escape song became boss of the cruse warring on behalf of heaven. I will protect the land and the safety of the people.
Encountering great calamities it is a common fate forcing most of the leading characters in water margin with extreme measures. A prime example is the all-inspiring Ling Chong nick named panther¡¯s head. Ling Chong was a general and chief instructor with eighty thousand men and imperial guards.
Ling misfortunes started on the day that his beautiful wife went to the temple to worship and burn incense. There a field martial stepson and saw ling spouse and immediately became infatuated with her. In order to take Ling Chong wife by force the field martial used his power to set a deadly trap by falsely accusing ling of attempting to assassinate him. As a result Ling Chong was banished to a frontier garrison in Cang Chow. Not happy with the punishment the field marshal set out by hook or foot to kill Ling Chong on the road to his new post.
Fortunately, Ling was rescued by his sworn brothers allowing Ling to escape certain death. However, Thinking that her husband dead ling spouse took her own life in order to keep a widow virtue. The resistant felt over the destruction of this family was beyond his endurance and as a result Ling Chong went to Liang Shan-po to join rebel camp.
好多
