The Tale of the Zhongshan Wolf

马中锡Jul 2024

4.0

Word count: 8.8K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive and literary. Early forms of thought have distinctive features: religious theology, medical classics, ancient military texts, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography are all vast and profound. This "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the texts and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate temperament and quietly absorb the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

"The Story of the Zhongshan Wolf" is a famous Ming-dynasty fable by Ma Zhongxi. Through the story of a wolf and Mr. Dongguo, it satirizes ingratitude; it is short but its moral is pointed. This book is included in the "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture Original Texts" series, which preserves the original appearance of the texts and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. As a fable, it is tightly narrated and vividly characterized; it can be read as a classical Chinese short story, and one can also appreciate the critical wisdom of traditional allegorical literature. When reading, pay attention to the contrast between the figures of the wolf and Mr. Dongguo, and to the dialogue structure through which the story advances—these are precisely where the fable's literary interest lies. This is not a modern vernacular retelling, so readers need some grounding in classical Chinese; as an introduction to Chinese learning, one may first learn the gist of the story and then read the original to appreciate the concision of classical expression and the measure of its satire. Overall it is suitable as close-reading material for classical Chinese fables, and for reading alongside pre-Qin philosophical fables.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classical Chinese fables and short stories
Middle-school language learners who need close-reading material in classical Chinese
Readers interested in traditional allegorical literature and worldly wisdom
General readers who wish to approach Chinese classics through short works

Not a good fit for

Readers with no grounding in classical Chinese who are unwilling to consult annotations
Young readers who only want a modern vernacular retelling
Readers expecting novel-length plots

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the general story, then closely read the classical wording paragraph by paragraph against the annotations.
Pay attention to the dialogue between the wolf and Mr. Dongguo, and analyze how the fable builds its satire step by step.
After reading, retell the story in your own words and write down your understanding of the theme of ingratitude.
Compare it with Aesop's Fables or pre-Qin fables to compare fable writing across cultures.

版权信息
中山狼传

FAQ

What story does "The Story of the Zhongshan Wolf" tell?

It is a famous Ming-dynasty fable by Ma Zhongxi. Mr. Dongguo rescues a hunted wolf, and once safe the wolf wants to eat him; in the end a wise man tricks and subdues the wolf. The story satirizes the ungrateful, its moral is pointed, and it is a classic short work of traditional allegorical literature.

What grounding in classical Chinese does reading this book require?

This book preserves the original appearance of the text, written in classical Chinese. Readers are advised to have basic classical Chinese reading ability, or to be able to understand the wording with the help of annotations and reference works. If completely new to it, one may first read a vernacular summary of the story, then read the original alongside it to gradually appreciate classical expression.

Is this fable suitable for children?

The story itself is educational, but this book is the original classical text, not a vernacular retelling for children. Younger children are advised to have a parent or teacher explain it, or to choose a vernacular retelling; teenagers with some grounding in classical Chinese can read the original directly with annotations.

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About the author

马中锡 Author

Ma Zhongxi is an author from ancient China, but public information about him is limited: his birth and death years, native place, and life story are not clearly recorded, so it is difficult to sketch a complete life trajectory. One work by him is held in the collection, namely The Story of the Zhongshan Wolf, which is generally classified as a classic work. This piece uses an allegorical style to tell the story of Mr. Dongguo, who rescues the Zhongshan wolf only to nearly be harmed by it in return. Through the dealings between the wolf and the man, it reveals the principle of ingratitude. The plot is compact, the moral is clear, and the language is concise with a satirical tone. The piece circulated widely and was often used by later generations to satirize ungrateful people; with its complete structure and vivid characters, it became a well-known piece among ancient allegories. Due to limited material, other writings and biographical details of Ma Zhongxi cannot be added at present.