If one of the four famous books is deleted, netizens rarely agree, which one will you choose?
If you had to remove one of the four famous novels, which one would you choose? Have we ever been lost in the ocean of literature and wondered how to choose the way forward? In the treasure house of classical Chinese literature, the four masterpieces are like four mirrors, shining with dazzling light.
But when we have to painfully decide to give up one of them, the scales of our hearts immediately tip in this direction. How do we choose between keeping or abandoning these four masterpieces?
This seems like a ridiculous thought experiment. How can we doubt their contribution to future generations? But this difficult comparison gives us the opportunity to revisit these classics and give us an insight into their unique values. Perhaps it is because of their reputation that we cannot easily dismiss any of them.
Allow me to think about this with you. After enumerating the characteristics of each work, let's try to make a choice. I hope that this trivial text will serve as a guiding light to illuminate the dark corners of our literary journey.
"Dream of Red Mansions", which surpasses the fictional literary epic.
Lin Daiyu's tears, Li Kun's helplessness, these pictures seem to have always remained in our minds. When it comes to "Dream of Red Mansions", people immediately think of the luxurious Jia Mansion and these touching character stories.
This one is known as"A masterpiece of literature for hundreds of generations"It not only describes the historical epitome of the fall of the Qing Dynasty, but also reveals the light and dark sides of human nature through the fate of dozens of vivid characters.
If you have followed the author's footsteps in the world of dreams a hundred times, you must remember Lin Daiyu's elegance, Xue Baochai's meekness, and Wang Xifeng's market. They have their own characteristics, but they are deeply shackled by the etiquette and religion of the time. The bitterness and joy of these women from wealthy families are an important clue to this **. Lin Daiyu finally turned into ashes, which made people sigh; Wang Xifeng also collapsed after the death of his family.
The disintegration of the family through the fate of women is the theme of Dream of the Red Chamber. It reveals the beautiful appearance of the feudal family, and also reveals the unknown inner appearance of the feudal family. As the author writes at the beginning:"However, heroes fight for freedom through the ages, and half of the scholars are proud of the rivers and lakes. In front of the ancient Buddha of the green lantern, I don't know who carries wine"。
It can be said that "Dream of Red Mansions" not only depicts the fall of a feudal dynasty, but also provokes people's deep thinking about morality, emotion and life with the rise and fall of the family. It goes beyond the realm of humanity and becomes a great poem about human nature and social change. This is probably the main reason why countless readers love it.
Journey to the West: The Undefeated Pegasus.
When it comes to "Journey to the West", we will first think of Monkey King, the hero who wears a golden hoop and a brocade coat. His name is associated with both Chinese literature and contemporary pop culture. What is the significance of this Monkey King? And how did he win the hearts of hundreds of millions of readers?
You may still remember that the golden cicada came to Lingshan from Huaguo Mountain, and after the teaching of Wukong and his little apprentices, he finally came to the right conclusion. Subsequently, the Emperor of Heaven who learned the scriptures in the west instructed him to accompany Tang Seng to go down to earth to find the true scriptures. To this end, he and his companions went through hardships and dangers, experienced a hundred battles, and finally successfully completed the task and returned to Chang'an.
If you've read the original book, you'll realize that behind the legend lies a deep moral truth: whimsical, refusing to be led by the nose by others, and rebelling against the old order in one brutal battle after another. Monkey King holds a golden hoop stick, and every time he crosses the mountains and enters the market, he seems to be challenging the rigid and rotten feudal laws.
Maybe that's because of that"Stone monkeys"The image has won the love of countless people. His courage, conviction and pursuit of justice against oppression have inspired generations of Chinese. The Monkey King has become the most distinctive hero in the history of Chinese literature, and "Journey to the West" is also known as"An epic of humanity that has been passed down through the ages"。
Deleting a famous book like "Journey to the West" seems to be equivalent to depriving people of their right to freedom and justice. If you are forced to remove a person, the choice seems greater.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms: A microcosm of an era.
When it comes to the Three Kingdoms, these iron-blooded heroes immediately come to mind. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei each led **, Cao Cao was both civil and military, and Sun Quan was the dragon and phoenix in the horse, the dragon and the phoenix in the horse, and the dragon and phoenix in the horse. These are all unforgettable heroes in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is one of the best masterpieces in history, which not only reproduces the turbulent years of the Three Kingdoms period, but also shows a microcosm of an era through the struggle of the protagonists. The political game between the protagonists is the biggest charm of this work.
However, some critics have pointed out that fiction is more or less subjective. History itself is a superposition of facts, and it is inevitably complicated. However, from Mr. Luo Guanzhong's depictions of historical figures, we can find obvious personal emotions.
For example, the protagonist Liu Bei is always a benevolent and upright person, and even his attack on Yizhou is depicted"Eliminate violence and peace"。Cao Cao, on the other hand, is portrayed as a man of power, scheming, and even rejection of dissidents. This way of writing makes us ask: is history really what the author portrays it to be?
Still, it's undeniable that it's this characterization that makes Romance of the Three Kingdoms highly readable. Readers can clearly see the differences in the personalities of the different characters and be captivated by their vigorous struggles. It is like a big drama where the conflict between power and justice is intertwined, and it has become a swan song for the ages.
Therefore, it would be a regrettable choice to remove one of the four masterpieces. After all, through its lens, we can observe turbulent times. I'm afraid there are few other books that can replace it.
Resistance symbol at the water's edge.
When it comes to "Water Margin", the first thing that comes to our mind is 108 heroes. Lin Chong, Song Jiang, stumbling block, Lu Junyi, etc. are all well-known figures.
The reason why these heroes gather in Liangshan is precisely because they are not accustomed to seeing the ugliness and injustice of the world. They took refuge from the government and fled into the mountains and swamps. The formation of the Liangshan heroes led by Song Jiang was their rebellion against the old order.
As a folk heroic epic, "Water Margin" can be said to be a symbol of the spirit of resistance in classical Chinese literature. It criticized the ruthlessness and decay of feudal society, and praised the courage of reckless sons and daughters to resist oppression. It has also deeply touched the hearts of countless readers.
But it should be noted that there are also scenes of gore and violence in **. Some of the leaders of the Liangshan heroes are not portrayed in a completely positive light. As a result, some modern versions of the work have made these details redacted. These changes have weakened the original book to some extent, but at the same time, it has also made it more suitable for young readers.
In short, as a masterpiece that reflects the story of the people's heroes' resistance, "Water Margin" undoubtedly has an irreplaceable status. It represents the pinnacle of the spirit of peasant rebellion in ancient China and has become an inextinguishable beacon in the hearts of future generations. Because of this, many literature lovers cannot give up this masterpiece in their hearts even if they make up their minds.
After the above discussion, it is not difficult to see that the deletion of any of the four famous novels will be irreparable sadness. They are closely linked and together form the cornerstone of Chinese literature and carry the memories of countless readers.
So, how do we choose between this impossible task? Perhaps the key is to trace the origins of history and discover the cultural codes behind each work. Rather than analyzing which book is more perfect, we should analyze the social values and humanistic spirit behind each masterpiece.
On the other hand, the selection criteria should not be based solely on personal preference. In this regard, the writer Yu Qiuyu once said:"I'm often asked which of the four famous novels I like the most. My answer is usually unexpected: they think my least favorite is my favorite.
Jealousy will always affect our judgment. So let's not jump to conclusions, let's go back and forth between these four masterpieces with a tolerant mindset. Maybe one day, we will fall in love with a work that we didn't like so much at first. The surprise of this literary journey is the best gift that four masterpieces have given us.