Shi Nai'an Books
Shi Nai'an was a Chinese novelist from Xinghua, Jiangsu, active during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is traditionally credited as the author of Water Margin, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels.
Known for: The Four Great Classical Novels of China (Chinese Edition), Water Margin
Books by Shi Nai'an
The Four Great Classical Novels of China (Chinese Edition)
The Four Great Classical Novels of China comprise Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Dream of the Red Chamber, and Journey to the West. These works represent the pinnacle of classical Chines...
Water Margin
Water Margin, also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Set during the late Northern Song dynasty, it tells the story of 108 outlaws who gath...
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Part I: Romance of the Three Kingdoms — The Epic of Strategy and Loyalty
In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Luo Guanzhong paints the turbulent epoch of the late Eastern Han dynasty, when the empire lay in ruins under the weight of corruption and rebellion. From this chaos emerged heroes whose aspirations shaped an entire era of strife and glory. The novel begins with a ...
From The Four Great Classical Novels of China (Chinese Edition)
Part II: Water Margin — The Rebellion of Justice and Brotherhood
Shi Nai’an’s *Water Margin* moves from imperial courts to the marshes, from the refined to the raw. Here, the heroes are not noble lords or strategists but men and women cast aside by society — bandits, soldiers, monks, and wanderers who find freedom and dignity in defiance. Set during the Song dyna...
From The Four Great Classical Novels of China (Chinese Edition)
Corrupt Governance and Social Unrest
The late Northern Song dynasty presented a picture of flourishing culture backed by rotting foundations. In *Water Margin*, I set out to expose that contradiction. Officials taxed the people into misery, soldiers bullied civilians, and the law served not justice but the favors of the elite. It was a...
From Water Margin
Individual Injustices: The Birth of Heroes
Every hero in *Water Margin* carries a scar—a story of betrayal or persecution that drove him or her from civilization into resistance. Lin Chong’s tragedy begins with a false accusation and the burning of his martial hall; Wu Song kills not for cruelty but vengeance born of moral instinct; Song Jia...
From Water Margin
About Shi Nai'an
Shi Nai'an was a Chinese novelist from Xinghua, Jiangsu, active during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is traditionally credited as the author of Water Margin, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. His works are known for their realistic depiction of social life and pioneering use o...
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Shi Nai'an was a Chinese novelist from Xinghua, Jiangsu, active during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is traditionally credited as the author of Water Margin, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. His works are known for their realistic depiction of social life and pioneering use o...
Shi Nai'an was a Chinese novelist from Xinghua, Jiangsu, active during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is traditionally credited as the author of Water Margin, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. His works are known for their realistic depiction of social life and pioneering use of vernacular language.
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Shi Nai'an was a Chinese novelist from Xinghua, Jiangsu, active during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is traditionally credited as the author of Water Margin, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels.
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