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"Water Margin", known as one of the four great classics of Chinese classics, was compiled by Shi Nai'an, a writer in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, and occupies an important position in the history of Chinese and even world literature with its unique artistic charm and profound social significance.
The historical background of "Water Margin" is set in the Northern Song Dynasty, which was an era of political corruption and social unrest. The government expropriated and extorted violently, and the people did not have a good livelihood, which led to frequent peasant uprisings in various places. Although the Liangshanbo uprising led by Song Jiang was ultimately unsuccessful, it became a heroic deed widely praised by the people. Under such a historical background, Shi Nai'an drew on a variety of materials such as folklore, dramas, and scripts, and processed them artistically to create this monumental work, reflecting the strong desire of the people to resist feudal oppression.
The core theme of "Water Margin" is "official coercion and civil rebellion", which profoundly reveals the darkness and injustice of feudal society by depicting the gathering, resistance, recruitment and peaceful efforts of the heroes of Liangshan until the tragic ending. The book takes the fate of Song Jiang and others as a clue, showing the whole process from individual struggle to collective uprising. Liang Shanbo has one hundred and eight generals, each with its own characteristics, they are either persecuted loyalty, or reckless heroes who can't bear the oppression, and they gather together under the banner of "walking for heaven", forming a group of heroes full of idealism.
Song Jiang's nickname "Timely Rain" vividly depicts his character traits of helping others and helping the needy, and he always appears when others need help the most, like a rain in a dry land. However, the nickname "Hu Baoyi" is more complicated, which not only expresses Song Jiang's adherence to loyalty and righteousness, but also implies his maintenance of the feudal ethical order. Song Jiang's loyalty is not blind, he is well aware of social injustice, but he chooses to seek change within the system through the way of recruitment, behind this compromise is a deep understanding of reality and helplessness, reflecting the author's deep insight into the conflict between personal ideals and social reality.
Lin Chong's nickname "Leopard Head" not only describes his bravery and martial arts, but also implies his inner depression and anger. As the head of the 800,000 forbidden army in Tokyo, Lin Chong originally had a stable life, but because of Gao Yu's frame-up, he walked to Liangshan step by step. Lin Chong's endurance and humiliation, until the final tragic resistance, shows the awakening and struggle of individuals under strong social pressure, and is a hymn to the tenacity and unyielding nature of human nature.
Lu Zhishen's nickname "Flower Monk" seems to be a satire of his identity as a monk at first glance, but it is actually a vivid depiction of his informal, heroic and straightforward character. Although he was a monk, he drank wine and ate meat, and his style was very different from that of traditional monks, but he had a deep sense of compassion and justice in his heart. Lu Zhishen's deeds such as "uprooting the weeping willows" and "punching the town of Guanxi" not only reflect his strength, but also demonstrate his chivalrous spirit of hoeing the strong and helping the weak. His image is the author's affirmation of transcending the surface and pursuing the inner essence.
Li Kui's nickname, "Black Whirlwind", vividly describes his skin color and fearless fighting style. Li Kui seems to be rough, but in fact he is simple and straightforward, his loyalty to Song Jiang and his righteousness to his friends show his simple and direct emotional world. Li Kui's stories, such as "True and False Li Kui" and "White Strips in the Fighting Waves", are full of comedy, and also reflect the simplicity and courage of the people at the bottom, as well as the difficulty of seeking survival in a complex social environment.
The nicknames and personalities of these characters not only make the characters of "Water Margin" vivid and three-dimensional, but also reflect the author's profound criticism of social reality and profound excavation of human nature through the joys, sorrows, loves, hatreds, and hatreds of these characters. As a result, "Water Margin" has become a model for the portrayal of characters in ancient Chinese novels, and its artistic achievements and humanistic values transcend time and space.
"Water Margin" not only shows the heroic legend, but also deeply criticizes the rotten system of feudal society and the darkness of officialdom. The corrupt officials and powerful bullies in the novels are the main factors causing social unrest, while the emperor is often portrayed as detached from the people and conniving at corruption, which reflects the author's deep insight and criticism of the social reality of the time. At the same time, the heroes of Liangshan finally accepted Zhao'an, but ended in tragedy, which also implied a deep reflection on the inability of individuals to escape the cycle of tragedy under the imperial system.
"Water Margin" created a precedent for long-form Hui novels, and had a far-reaching impact on later literary creations. Its plot design is full of ups and downs, the language is vivid and popular, and it has the simplicity of folk literature and the style of literati and scholars, and is an outstanding representative of ancient Chinese novel art. In addition, it has been adapted into dramas, films, TV dramas and other forms many times, becoming a treasure in the treasure house of Chinese culture, and has had a wide and far-reaching impact on readers and audiences at home and abroad.
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