• Four Great Classical Novels

  • Four Great Classical Novels - "Journey to the West", "Outlaws of the Marsh", "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and "Dream of the Red Chamber" are universally accepted by all Chinese people as their greatest novels. Even the illiterate Chinese are intimately knowledgeable with the plot and the main characters of these novels because they have been the sources of much popular entertainment, whether it was the traveling opera of old or the contemporary movies and TV serials.  In terms of how well the story is told, "Three Kingdoms" and "Red Chamber" are vastly superior to the other two works.  In fact each of their fans, Chinese and foreign, consider their respective novel the best novel ever written. Anywhere.  "Three Kingdoms" is the best novel in the strategy and action/adventure category while "Red Chamber" is the greatest romantic novel.

     

     

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    Mini Review

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    Romance of

    the Three Kingdoms
    Written by Luo Guanzhong, ca1330-ca 1400

    Many fans consider it the greatest novel ever written This is a historical fiction about events occurring around 150AD when the ruling Han dynasty was crumbling and China was divided into three competing kingdoms. This is a fascinating novel about military supremacy, a real life game of Risk played with the whole of China as the gameboard. There are many encounters between fierce warriors, brilliant military strategies, and suspenseful intrigues but ultimately the novel is about human motivation, loyalty, and greed for power.

     

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    The Dream of the Red Chamber
    or The Story of the Stone
    Written by Cao Xueqin (1717-1763) and Gao E, ca 1750

     

    This is the other contender for best novel ever written. The story is about Jia Baoyu, a  teen boy from a rich and powerful family who lives in an idyllic garden surrounding by his female cousins and maids. Baoyu is hopelessly in love with his cousin Lin Daiyu but, unbeknownst to either of them, Baoyu is tricked into marrying another cousin. The book has a very large cast of characters but each of them, including the many maids, is developed with great attention to detail. Volumes have been written around the hidden symbolism in the novel (such as the two girl cousins representing different aspects of the ideal woman). Traditional fans have been women because of the subject matter but it is a great romantic novel for everyone who has ever had a childhood crash.

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    Water Margin
    or Outlaws of the Marsh
    Written by Shi Nai-an (ca 1290-ca 1365) and Luo Guanzhong, (ca 1330-ca 1499)
      

    One of the four classic novels of Chinese literature, this one is called a Robin Hood story because it tells the exploits of a group of outlaws who steals from corrupt officials to give to the poor. However, I find more like the "Justice League" of  DC Comics.  Except that there are 108 superheroes.  But not to worry.  They do not all appear at once.  In fact the book is about how the bandits get together and join the group one at a time or in small groups to escape some injustice perpetrated by corrupt officials.

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    The Journey to the West
    Written by Wu Cheng-en, ca 1500- ca 1582

    This is another of the four classic novels of Chinese literature. Narrates the pilgrimage of Tripitaka, a real-like Tang dynasty monk who traveled to India in search of Buddhist sutras. His companions include Monkey, Pigsy and Friar Sand, three supernatural but flawed heroes who protect the monk from evil monsters in the ultimate road trip. Monkey, or Sun Wukong, has become a favorite character of Chinese acrobatic operas because of his fantastic powers, agility, wit, and irreverence.