We started the lecture series "Great Classic Chinese Novels" with the lecture "Heros of the marches" (Shuǐhǔ zhuàn 水滸傳/水浒传). It was given by j. asst. professor at the Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, VU. B. Astrauskas.
The first lecture of this series presented one of the oldest Chinese novels 小说 xiāo shuō. It is a colourful, expressive, multi-layered tale full of action, intrigue and timeless humour about a brotherhood of 108 robbers who operated in the Shandong province of what is now Kaifeng. The action took place during the reign of the northern Sòng 宋 Emperor Huīzōng 徽宗 in the 12th century (960-1127). This group was characterised by endless heroism and exceptional brotherhood.
In this lecture, the speaker introduced us to the late emergence of the prose genre, as poetry had a much higher status in China.
If we were to ask why this novel should be of interest to us Westerners, there could be several reasons. First of all, this novel, like The Three Kingdoms, reveals the Chinese mentality and thinking and should be read by those who want to get to know the Chinese better.
The second reason is that the plot of „Heros of the Marches“ is close to our hearts and comparable to Robin Hood. In both cultures, heroes were seen as noble, social robbers who break the law for the greater good. Interestingly, both novels are set at a similar time, in the 12th century. Finally, the two works share a similar political background. However, stylistically, the two stories are different: there is much more cruelty and violence in The Heros of the Marches.
In the lecture B. Astrauskas raised the question of the authorship of this work, which turned out to be not so simple. The work is attributed to Shī Nài'ān 施耐庵 , but later it turned out that it is probably a collective work. The oldest surviving printed version of this work dates from 1589. There is disagreement about the best version of the work, and this is still disputed today.
The novel is a piece of literary heritage and a part of national identity. Chinese novels of this type have had a profound influence on Japan and Korea.
Like a Chinese version of Robin Hood or Tadas Blinda, the Heros of the Marches laid the foundations for the Chinese martial arts and noble fighter wǔxiá 武侠 literary genre, which emerged in the twentieth century, and many stylistic elements characteristic of the genre can be traced back to it.
We are delighted to present to our audience seminal works of pre-modern Chinese prose, whose influence is strongly felt not only in China, but also in the cultural field of other East Asian countries.
In the second lecture of the series, j. asist. B. Astrauskas introduced the most famous Chinese novel outside China, whose breathtaking scenes of battles and adventures, colourful and diverse characters and hard-to-predict, intriguing storylines have intrigued readers from all over the world for more than a century.
"The Three Kingdoms“ is a work of political intrigue, ingenious military strategies, value alliances and heinous betrayals, based on real historical events, and stylistically comparable to the Wars of Thrones or the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The lecture provided an insight into the origins and political-cultural context of the novel, the plot of the work and the most famous characters of the novel. It is a novel that is rich in the traits of brotherhood, bravery, and fraternity, and it contains detailed Chinese fighting strategies and tactics, and vividly describes the battle scenes.
This work is attributed to the novelist Luo Guanzhong 羅貫中.
The Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, published between 1321 and 1323. The earliest printed version of this work dates from 1522, and the 1679, it becomes the most popular version, read by everyone and translated into other languages.
It is the earliest and best novel of the yanyi 演義 genre of highlighting justice, raising moral ethical ideas through historical examples.
If we compare these two novels, the latter is not as controversial as Heros of the Marches. But the importance of both of them for Chinese literature is unquestionable, because they are works that fundamentally contribute to the knowledge and understanding of Chinese politics, fighting strategy and mentality.