A History of Pain
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Summary
Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive, and literary. Early intellectual forms have distinctive features: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers, and other fields are profound and extensive. This "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the books and focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly come to know the classics of Chinese learning.
Editor's review
Painful History is a historical novel by Wu Jianren from the late Qing dynasty. Through the story of rise and fall in the late Song and early Yuan, it expresses anxiety and indignation about the political situation of his time, bearing the distinct late Qing novelistic trait of concern for reality and using history to discuss the present. This book is included in the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series, preserving the original appearance of the text so that readers may directly experience the language style and narrative rhythm of late Qing fiction. Its value lies not only in retelling historical events but also in observing how the author organizes historical materials, shapes characters, and expresses praise and blame in the form of popular fiction; it is a suitable text for understanding the relationship between late Qing fiction and historical writing. While reading, attention may be paid to how loyalty and treachery, survival and ruin are depicted, as well as to the differences between the novel's selections and historical fact. Because it was completed in the late Qing, its language and ideas bear the marks of its era; readers should maintain a historicized perspective, appreciating its narrative power while also discerning its emotional expressions.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in late Qing fiction and historical novels
- Literary researchers seeking to understand Wu Jianren's creative profile
- Readers of literature and history interested in using history to discuss the present and satirizing the present through the past
- Adult readers able to accept a mixture of modern vernacular and classical Chinese
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting strict historical verification and rejecting fictional invention
- Readers who prefer light, entertaining, fast-paced web novels
- Young readers with insufficient experience reading classical and modern vernacular Chinese
Reading tips
- First understand the basic historical facts of the late Song and early Yuan, then read the novel, so as to distinguish historical fact from literary elaboration.
- While reading, note the author's evaluative language about characters' loyalty and treachery, and observe how he uses history to express concern for reality.
- Read Painful History alongside other works by Wu Jianren to appreciate the common concerns of late Qing novelists.
- After reading several chapters, write a brief plot outline to avoid becoming confused by the threads of characters and events.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 内容提要
- 叙
- 第一回 制朝仪刘秉忠事敌隐军情贾似道欺君
- 第二回 闻警报度宗染微恙施巧计巫忠媚权奸
- 第三回 守樊城范天顺死节战水陆张世杰设谋
- 第四回 骂贼臣张贵发严辞送灵柩韩新当说客
- 第五回 叛中国吕师夔降元闻警报宋度宗晏驾
- 第六回 死溷厕权奸遗臭 请投降皇帝称臣
- 第七回 痛蒙尘三宫被辱辟谣琢二将怜忠
- 第八回 走穷途文天祥落难航洋海张世杰迎君
- 第九回 辞尊号杨太妃知礼议攘夷众志士定盟
- 第十回 下江西文丞相建殊勋度仙霞宗伯成得奇遇
- 第十一回 君直初上仙霞山岳忠夜闹河北路
- 第十二回 盗袖镖狄琪试本领验死尸县令暗惊心
- 第十三回 胡子忠再闹安抚衙山神庙结义狄定伯
- 第十四回 仙霞岭五杰喜相逢燕京城三宫受奇辱
- 第十五回 待使臣胡人无礼讲实学护卫长谈
- 第十六回 胡子忠盗案卷尽悉军情郑虎臣别仙霞另行运动
- 第十七回 越国公奉驾幸崖山张弘范率师寇祖国
- 第十八回 灭宋室生致文天祥论图形气死张弘范
- 第十九回 泄机谋文丞相归神念故主唐玉潜盗骨
- 第二十回 谢君直再上仙霞岭 桂夫人寿终玉亭乡
- 第二十一回 胡子忠装疯福州城谢君直三度仙霞岭
- 第二十二回 谢君直就义燕京城胡子忠除暴汴梁路
- 第二十三回 疯道人卖药济南路郑虎臣说反蒙古王
- 第二十四回 侠史华陈尸燕市智虎臣计袭济南
- 第二十五回 赚益都郑虎臣施巧计辞监军赵子固谢孤忠
- 第二十六回 应义举浙民思故主假投降宗智下惠州
- 第二十七回 忽必烈太子蒙重冤仙霞岭义兵张挞伐
FAQ
Is Painful History a historical work or a novel?
It is a historical novel by Wu Jianren, taking the rise and fall of the late Song and early Yuan as its subject. It has a basis in historical fact but also includes fictional and emotionally charged elaboration. It should be read as literature, not as a substitute for historical research, though it can be used to observe how people of the late Qing understood history.
Can I read it without experience with late Qing fiction?
You can try, but it requires some patience. The language has features of modern vernacular and also includes classical expressions, and its rhythm differs from contemporary fiction. It is advisable to read the preface first for background, then read in sections; when encountering unfamiliar expressions, do not cling to every word but first grasp the plot and character relationships.
How does reading Painful History help in understanding the late Qing?
It shows how late Qing novelists used historical subjects to express anxiety and indignation about reality. Readers can see the crisis awareness and narrative interests of intellectuals of the time. Placing the novel back in its late Qing context is more rewarding than simply asking whether the plot conforms to historical fact.
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About the author
Wu Jianren
Author · Chinese · 1866–1910
Wu Jianren (1866–1910), originally named Baozhen and also known as Woyao, courtesy name Xiaoyun, was a native of Foshan Town, Nanhai, Guangdong, and called himself "Wo Foshanren." A leading writer of late Qing exposé fiction, he drew on officialdom, the business world, and everyday urban life, writing with a sharp edge that combines the detail of social fiction with satirical force. His representative work, Strange Events Eyewitnessed over Twenty Years, links numerous characters and incidents through a continuous first-person account, broadly exposing the ills of late Qing society and leaving a lasting mark on modern Chinese fiction. He also wrote more than thirty novels, including A History of Pain, The Strange Case of Nine Murders, and Sea of Regret. Fifty-five of his works are held in this collection, spanning classical literature, folk literature, and classic works, which shows the breadth of his subjects and the enduring popularity of his writing.
