Stories to Awaken the World

Feng MenglongZhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaJan 2015

4.3

Word count: 543K words
Chapters: 50

Summary

This is the most popular and widely read of the Three Words collections. It contains numerous short stories, mostly written during the Ming dynasty, especially after the Jiajing reign. The stories reflect many facets of ancient social life, and celebrated pieces such as The Oil Vendor and the Courtesan, A Smile from Tang Bohu, and Du Shiniang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger are known and loved by readers everywhere. Among them, The Oil Vendor and the Courtesan is considered the finest achievement. Qin Zhong, a small oil vendor, is struck by the renowned courtesan Wang Meiniang's charming beauty and does not hesitate to spend more than a year of hard work saving ten taels of silver for a single night's pleasure.

Editor's review

Among the "Three Words," *Stories to Awaken the World* has the most pieces and the widest range of subjects. Feng Menglong looks at human nature and social manners through a street-level lens, bringing vividly to life the joys and sorrows of peddlers, courtesans, scholars, and officials. The collection includes warm-hearted stories like "The Oil Peddler Wins the Queen of Flowers," in which sincerity and patience win a marriage, as well as fiercely resolute tragedies like "Du Shiniang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger." Between the comic and the tragic, one sees late-Ming society's complicated attitudes toward love, money, and righteousness. The book is mostly in vernacular, with tightly woven plots and dialogue that carries the bustle of the streets and alleys, so it does not feel remote to read. This edition's selections are well chosen, making it a suitable entry point for surveying the "Three Words." Whether you want to understand the narrative techniques of classical vernacular short stories or seek urban-themed inspiration for your own writing, this book deserves a place at hand for repeated dipping into. You need not read it from start to finish; pick pieces by interest, then go back and see how the author arranges structure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who want to learn about Ming urban life and vernacular short stories
Students of classical Chinese literature who need to survey the subjects and narrative features of the "Three Words"
Writers hoping to learn plot arrangement and character dialogue from classical short stories
Readers who love famous pieces such as "Du Shiniang" and "The Oil Peddler" and want to read the originals

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long, continuous narratives and dislike the anthology structure of short stories
Beginners who need a full modern Chinese translation or word-by-word annotations to read smoothly
Readers hoping for strict historical records rather than fiction

Reading tips

Start with "The Oil Peddler Wins the Queen of Flowers" and "Du Shiniang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" to feel the range of subject and tone
After each piece, review the characters' motivations and key turns, and notice how coincidences are arranged
Read pieces with similar subjects side by side and compare how the author handles different endings
Skip unfamiliar terms at first and look them up after finishing the whole piece, so as not to interrupt the reading rhythm

About the publisher

Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House is a Chinese publisher specializing in literary publishing. Judging from the 808 titles in the database, its publishing areas cover world classics, foreign literature, social novels, folk literature and classic works, as well as modern and contemporary literature and prose. Representative titles include foreign literary translations such as Anna Karenina, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, In Praise of Shadows and The Complete Tragedies and Comedies of Shakespeare, alongside classic works by Lao She and Lu Xun such as Camel Xiangzi, Teahouse and Wandering. Its authors and translators include Leo Tolstoy, Cao Ying, Lao She, Yukio Mishima, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Zhu Shenghao. The press emphasizes the translation and introduction of classic texts and the compilation of native literary works, giving equal weight to Chinese and foreign literature. Owing to limited public information, its specific series and editorial policies are not elaborated here.

版权信息
目录
公版书总序
不写情词不写诗，言世喻警寄心知——冯梦龙
以醒天之权与人，以醒人之权与言——《醒世恒言》
正文
第一卷两县令竞义婚孤女
第二卷三孝廉让产立高名
第三卷卖油郎独占花魁
第四卷灌园叟晚逢仙女
第五卷大树坡义虎送亲
第六卷小水湾天狐诒书
第七卷钱秀才错占凤凰俦
第八卷乔太守乱点鸳鸯谱
第九卷陈多寿生死夫妻
第十卷刘小官雌雄兄弟
第十一卷苏小妹三难新郎
第十二卷佛印师四调琴娘
第十三卷勘皮靴单证二郎神
第十四卷闹樊楼多情周胜仙
第十五卷赫大卿遗恨鸳鸯绦
第十六卷陆五汉硬留合色鞋
第十七卷张孝基陈留认舅
第十八卷施润泽滩阙遇友
第十九卷白玉娘忍苦成夫
第二十卷张廷秀逃生救父
第二十一卷张淑儿巧智脱杨生
第二十二卷吕洞宾飞剑斩黄龙
第二十三卷金海陵纵欲亡身
第二十四卷隋炀帝逸游召谴
第二十五卷独孤生归途闹梦
第二十六卷薛录事鱼服证仙
第二十七卷李玉英狱中讼冤
第二十八卷吴衙内邻舟赴约
第二十九卷卢太学诗酒傲王侯
第三十卷李汧公穷邸遇侠客
第三十一卷郑节使立功神臂弓
第三十二卷黄秀才徼灵玉马坠
第三十三卷十五贯戏言成巧祸
第三十四卷一文钱小隙造奇冤
第三十五卷徐老仆义愤成家
第三十六卷蔡瑞虹忍辱报仇
第三十七卷杜子春三入长安
第三十八卷李道人独步云门
第三十九卷汪大尹火焚宝莲寺
第四十卷马当神风送滕王阁
如是我闻
一、《醒世恒言》版本
二、《醒世恒言》名句
三、古代官场上的行贿

FAQ

What are the "Three Words"?

The "Three Words" is the collective name for three collections of vernacular short stories compiled by Feng Menglong: *Stories to Enlighten the World*, *Stories to Warn the World*, and *Stories to Awaken the World*. This book is the last of the three; it has more pieces and a wider range of subjects, and is often regarded as the most mature of the "Three Words."

Can I read this directly without having read the other two "Three Words" collections?

Yes. Each of the three books stands on its own, and the stories selected here do not depend on the plots of the first two, so reading this directly does not hinder understanding. If the similar subjects spark your interest afterward, you can go on to read the other two.

Is this book suitable for casual browsing as a story collection?

Yes. Most pieces are not long and have complete plots, so they can be read individually. However, the book involves backgrounds such as the imperial examinations, commerce, and marriage customs; to read it more thoroughly, it is best to pair it with basic knowledge of Ming society.

Are all the stories in the book original to Feng Menglong?

Not all. Feng Menglong collected, adapted, and polished earlier notebooks, promptbooks, and legends, so the book is more a work of compilation and reworking, and it also preserves his own moral judgments and narrative tastes.

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About the author

Feng Menglong Author · Chinese · 1574–1646

Feng Menglong (1574–1646), courtesy name Youlong and style name Mohan Zhai Zhuren, was a native of Changzhou in Suzhou Prefecture (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). A Ming dynasty writer and dramatist, he devoted his life to collecting and editing popular literature. He compiled Yushi Mingyan, Jingshi Tongyan, and Xingshi Hengyan, known collectively as the "Three Words," which became representative anthologies of vernacular short stories. He also compiled Qingshi and Gujin Tangui, revised Xin Lieguo Zhi and Pingyao Zhuan, and served as magistrate of Shouning County in Fujian. His works draw on urban life and folk legends, employ lively vernacular language, and focus on human nature and social manners, exerting a lasting influence on later vernacular fiction and drama. The library holds 200 of his works, spanning classical literature and social fiction.