The Scholars (Part Two)

Name: The Scholars (Part Two)
ISBN: 9787899027066

Wu JingziChina Publishing Group Digital Media Co., Ltd. · ChinaAug 2023

5.0

Word count: 113K words
Chapters: 20
ISBN: 9787899027066

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Summary

The Scholars is a full-length novel by Wu Jingzi of the Qing dynasty, completed in or slightly before the fourteenth year of the Qianlong reign (1749); it survives today in manuscript copies and was first printed in the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign (1803).

In fifty-six chapters, it depicts with realism how people of every station respond to 'rank and riches': on the one hand, it truthfully reveals the process and causes of human corruption and thereby sharply criticizes and satirizes the corruption of officialdom, the abuses of the civil service examinations, and the hypocrisy of the rites and moral teaching of the time; on the other, it warmly celebrates the few who hold fast to themselves and so guard their humanity, embodying the author's ideals. Its vernacular prose is already highly accomplished and its characterization deep and subtle; above all, its consummate irony makes it a masterpiece of classical Chinese satirical literature. This is the middle volume.

Editor's review

Wu Jingzi's The Scholars is a satirical novel that profoundly reveals the condition of intellectuals under the examination system of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is regarded as the pinnacle of classical Chinese satire. In a cold, incisive style the author portrays scholar after scholar whose souls are warped by rank and gain; from Fan Jin and Yan Jiansheng to Zhou Jin and Kuang Chaoren, each figure carries a specific social critique. The work's value lies not only in its consummate art of satire but in its profound insight into human alienation—how, when the whole system of social values turns on examination success, the inner world of intellectuals is devastated and their moral底线 trampled. Reading The Scholars calls for some historical background, yet even readers unfamiliar with the examination system can feel, in these vivid fates, a resonance that transcends the age. Wu Jingzi himself experienced the examination system and failed in it; his satire carries both personal pain and a coolly maintained distance of observation, and this duality gives the work both emotional warmth and intellectual depth. Especially noteworthy are the portrayals of ordinary townspeople, women, and other marginal groups, which reveal a humanistic concern that transcends the author's time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers interested in classical Chinese literature and the art of satire
Readers seeking to understand Ming-Qing society and culture and the condition of intellectuals
Literature lovers who enjoy analyzing social phenomena through groups of characters
Upper-level students in need of training in critical thinking and humanistic cultivation

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or quick, easy reading
Beginners wholly unfamiliar with classical Chinese expression and the social background of the Ming and Qing dynasties

Reading tips

Readers may first read a brief introduction to Ming-Qing history to understand how the examination system basically worked
Reading in chapter order is recommended, with attention to the network of relationships among characters
The classical commentaries, such as those by Jin He and Xianzhai laoren, may be consulted alongside for comparison

About the publisher

China Publishing Group Digital Media Co., Ltd. China · Founded in 2008

China Publishing Group Digital Media Co., Ltd. takes digital publishing as its main business, with titles spanning traditional medical classics and classical literature. Its catalogue includes medical works such as Treatise on Cold Damage, Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet, and The Pulse Classic, involving writings by Zhang Ji, Wang Shuhe, Lin Yi, and Zhang Jiebin. In literature, it offers Wu Jingzi's The Scholars and Xiao Hong's Tales of Hulan River, as well as foreign literary translations such as Fu Lei's rendering of Voltaire's Candide. Its publishing focus thus falls roughly into medicine, social fiction, foreign literature, and fine fiction, reflecting a balance between collated ancient texts and general reading. As public information is limited, this summary is based only on the books in the catalogue and draws no further inferences.

版权信息
第二十回匡超人高兴长安道牛布衣客死芜湖关
第二十一回冒姓字小子求名念亲戚老夫卧病
第二十二回认祖孙玉圃联宗爱交游雪斋留客
第二十三回发阴私诗人被打叹老景寡妇寻夫
第二十四回牛浦郎牵连多讼事鲍文卿整理旧生涯
第二十五回鲍文卿南京遇旧倪廷玺安庆招亲
第二十六回向观察升官哭友鲍廷玺丧父娶妻
第二十七回王太太夫妻反目倪廷珠兄弟相逢
第二十八回季苇萧扬州入赘萧金铉白下选书
第二十九回诸葛佑僧寮遇友杜慎卿江郡纳姬
第三十回爱少俊访友神乐观逞风流高会莫愁湖
第三十一回天长县同访豪杰赐书楼大醉高朋
第三十二回杜少卿平居豪举娄焕文临去遗言
第三十三回杜少卿夫妇游山迟横山朋友议礼
第三十四回议礼乐名流访友备弓旌天子招贤
第三十五回圣天子求贤问道庄征君辞爵还家
第三十六回常熟县真儒降生泰伯祠名贤主祭
第三十七回祭先圣南京修礼送孝子西蜀寻亲
第三十八回郭孝子深山遇虎甘露僧狭路逢仇

FAQ

What are the characteristics of the satire in The Scholars?

Wu Jingzi's satire is 'gentle and richly ironic': it usually emerges naturally from the contradictions between characters' words and deeds, without direct moral judgment—as when Yan Jiansheng, on his deathbed, holds up two fingers, a detail both absurd and profound.

How does this novel differ from denunciation novels such as The Exposure of Officialdom?

The Scholars focuses more on a deep critique of institutional alienation than merely on exposing corruption in officialdom; its literary quality and the roundness of its characterization are also greater. Lu Xun judged it to 'hold to the public good and point out the ills of the times.'

How should modern readers understand the book's critique of the examination system?

The examination system may be understood as a power-knowledge system; the core of its critique still has implications for phenomena such as the alienation of contemporary education and the commodification of knowledge, though differences of historical context should be kept in mind.

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About the author

Wu Jingzi Author · Chinese · 1701–1754

Wu Jingzi (1701–1754) was a Qing dynasty literatus and novelist, courtesy name Minxuan and style name Limin, a native of Quanjiao, Anhui. Born into an official family, he later experienced a family property dispute and repeated failures in the imperial examinations, moved to Nanjing, and made a living by writing. Over nearly twenty years he wrote the long satirical novel The Scholars (Rulin Waishi), which vividly portrays the world of scholars and officials with a cool, finely observed style and laid the foundation of classical Chinese satire. His works are commonly classified under social fiction and classical literature, and he also wrote the Wenmu Shantang Collection. The library holds 43 of his works, including multiple editions and volumes of The Scholars. Public information on the details of his life is limited, and scholarship tends to focus on the themes, satirical style, and literary influence of The Scholars.