Literature
Chinese Idiom
| 掩耳盗铃 (yăn ěr dào líng) Literal Translation: To cover one's ear to steal a bell. Meaning: To try to conceal the facts of something one did or is doing. |
An Epic Quest of a Monk and His Disciples
Journey to the West is a fictional Chinese classic of the legends around the Buddhist monk Xuánzàng's pilgrimage to India during the Táng dynasty in order to obtain Buddhist religious texts called sutras. The Bodhisattva Guānyīn, on instruction from the Buddha, gives this task to the monk and his protectors - the Monkey King Sūn Wùkōng, a part human and part pig character named Zhū Bājiè, and a sand demon called Shā Wùjìng, together with a dragon prince who acts as Xuánzàng's horse mount. These four characters have agreed to help Xuánzàng as atonement for past sins.
Journey to the West has a strong background in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and value systems; the pantheon of Taoist immortals and Buddhist bodhisattvas is still reflective of Chinese folk religious beliefs today.
Romantic Masterpiece About Star-Crossed Lovers in 18th Century China
Dream of the Red Chamber is a masterpiece of Chinese literature composed in the mid 18th century during the Qing Dynasty, attributed to Cao Xueqin (曹雪芹). The novel is known for its precise and detailed observation of the life and social structures typical of 18th-century Chinese aristocracy. The novel provides a detailed, episodic record of the two branches of the Jia Clan, the Rongguo House (榮國府) and Ningguo House (寧國府), who reside in two large adjacent family compounds in the capital. Their ancestors were made Dukes, and as the novel begins the two houses remain among the most illustrious families in the capital. The novel describes the Jias' wealth and influence in great naturalistic detail, and charts the Jias' fall from the height of their prestige, following some thirty main characters and over four hundred minor ones. Eventually the Jia Clan falls into disfavor with the Emperor, and their mansions are raided and confiscated. In the Dream of the Red Chamber, the story focuses on the love between the main character, Jia Baoyu, who is the adolescent heir of the family, and Baoyu's sickly cousin, the emotional Lin Daiyu. However, Baoyu was predestined to marry another cousin, Xue Baochai. This love triangle against the backdrop of the family's declining fortunes forms the most well-known plot line in the novel.
Historical Drama on the Fall of the Han Dynasty
 | Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280. Most characters in the novel are real historical figures who lived and died during that time period in Chinese history. However, some details may appear to be exaggerations and based on myths from the Three Kingdoms era that existed as oral traditions before any written compilations. The novel also reflects the Confucian values that were prominent at the time it was written. According to Confucian moral standards, loyalty to one's family, friends, and superiors are important measures for distinguishing good and bad people. |
Series of Tales About the Adventures of Song Dynasty Outlaws
| Water Margin (or Outlaws of the Marsh) details the trials and tribulations of 108 outlaws during the mid Song Dynasty. The novel is vaguely based upon the historical bandit Song Jiang and his 36 companions. The group was active in the Huai River region and eventually surrendered to government troops in 1121. The opening episode of the novel is about the release of the 108 spirits. The next chapter describes the rise of Gao Qiu, the main antagonist of the 108. Then the novel went on to tell the stories of different outlaws. Each story will appear to be separate tales and the connections between the characters are very vague. But the novel eventually comes together in a later chapter, during the exile and rescue of Song Jiang, who becomes the head of the 108 outlaws. Once the main characters gather on the Mount Liang on the marsh, the novel goes on about the conflicts with the Song Dynasty, with Song Jiang showing his loyalty to the emperor. After winning battles against the imperial forces, the outlaws are offered amnesty and invited by the emperor to become an official army, which Song Jiang willingly accepts. Gao Qiu, not being happy with them, sends them out to fight against the enemies of the dynasty, and this finally resulted in a tragic ending. |  |
Chinese Literature
Journey to the West - Part 05
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Cao Cao Presents a Jeweled Sword
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