This book, first published in 1967, is a comprehensive study of knight-errantry in Chinese history and literature from the fourth century BC to the twentieth century. After discussing the social and intellectual backgrounds of knight-errantry, it gives examples of historical knights and describes the development of the theme of knight-errantry in poetry, fiction and drama. Many biographies, anecdotes, poems and tales are translated in full, while long prose romances and dramatic works are summarized and discussed. As background to these, sketches of the developments of Chinese fiction and drama are provided. In a final chapter, comparisons are made between Chinese and European knights, and between Chinese and Western chivalric literature.
Author(s): James J. Y. Liu
Series: Routledge Library Editions: Chinese Literature and Arts, 8
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 258
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Original Title Page
Original Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Dynastic Table
Introduction
The Historical Knight-Errant
The Rise of Knights-Errant
Their Social Origins
Their Ideals
Their Ideological Affinities and Antipathies
1. Knights-Errant and Confucians
2. Knights-Errant and Legalists
3. Knights-Errant and Mohists
4. Knights-Errant and Taoists
Knights-Errant of the Warring States and Early Han Periods (C. 300-120 B.C.)
Prince Wu-Chi, Hou Ying, and Chu Hai
Ching K'o, T'ien Kuang, and Kao Chien-Li
Chu Chia and Chi Pu
Chü Meng
Kuo Hsieh
Suppression of Knights-Errant by the Han Emperors (C. 180-20 B.C.): Chü Chang
Knights-Errant in Later History
1. Later Han (A.D. 25-220) and Three Kingdoms (220-265)
Chih Yun
Wang P'an
Lu Su
Tien Wei
Hsi K'ang
2. Chin (Or Tsin) Dynasty (265-419)
Li Yang
Tai Jo-ssǔ
Tsu Ti
3. Sui (589-618) and T'ang (618-907) Dynasties
Tou Chien-Tê
Kuo Yuan-Chen
Li po
4. Five Dynasties (907-959)
Huang Tzǔ-Yeh
5. Sung Dynasty (960-1279)
Chiao Chi-Hsün
Kuo Chin
Liu K'ai
Ts'ao Hsieh
Wang K'ê-Ming
6. Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368)
Hsü Shih-Yen
7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Sung K'ê
Decline and Transformation of Knights-Errant
Conclusion
The Knight-Errant in Poetry
General Characteristics of Chinese Chivalric Poetry
Descriptions of Knights-Errant
Poems on Historical Knights
From Fact to Fiction
Chivalric Tales in Classical Prose
1. Prototypes
Prince Tan of Yen
The Maiden of Yueh
2. Chivalric Tales of the T'ang Period
The Curly-Bearded Stranger
The K'un-Lun Slave
Nieh Yin-Niang
Hung-Hsien
The Old Man at the Inn
The Old Man of Lan-Ling
The Jusi Swordsman
Ts'ui Shen-ssu's Wife
Li Kuei-Shou
Colloquial Tales and Ballads
1. Popular Recitals in the T'ang Period (618-907)
The Capture of Chi Pu
2. Story-Telling in the Sung Period (960-1279)
From Oral Stories to Long Romances (C. 1127-1644)
Water Margin
Later Chivalric Fiction (C. 1644-the Present)
1. Chivalric-Tales-Cum-Detective-Stories
The Three Knights-Errant and the Five Altruists
The Cases of Lord Shih and the Cases of Lord P'eng
2. Romances Combining Chivalry With Love
A Tale of Chivalrous Love
A Tale of Heroic Lovers
3. Tales of Flying Swordsmen
The Chivalrous Swordsmen of the Szechwan Mountains (Shu-Shan Chien-Hsia)
4. Tales Emphasizing Physical Feats
Lives of ChivalRous and Altruistic Heroes (Hsia-Ji Ying-Hsiung Chuan)
4. The Knight-Errant in the Theatre
Nature of Traditional Chinese Drama
Major Schools of Chinese Drama
1. Sung and Yuan Southern Drama (C. 1150-1368)
2. Yuan Northern Drama (1280-1368)
3. Southern Drama and Northern Drama Compared
4. Ming and Ch'ing Dramatic Romances (C. 1368-1850)
5. The Peking Theatre (C. 1820-the Present)
Knights-Errant in Southern Drama
Knights-Errant in Northern Drama
1. Yuan Period
Li K'uei's Apology
The Chrysanthemum Vallry (Huang-Hua Yü)
2. Ming Period
Black Whirlwind' s Altruism
Sung Chiang Disturbing the Lantern Festival (Sung Kung-Ming Nao Yuan-Hsiao)
Lady Hung-Hsien (Hung-Hsien Nü)
The K'un-Lun Slave (K'un-Lun Nu)
The Curly-Bearded Old Man (Ch'iu-jan Weng)
The Cold River Yi (Yi Shui Han)
The Zither at the Court of Ch'in (Ch'in T'ing Chu)
3. Ch'ing Period
The Black and White Donkeys (Hei Pai Wei)
The Road to Chi-Chou (Chi-Chou Tao)
The Slope at the Cross-Roads (Shih-Tzǔ P'o)
Knight-Errantry in Dramatic Romances
1. Dramatic Romances About the Liang-Shan Heroes
Romance of the Precious Sword (Pao Chien Chi)
Romance of the Altruistic Knight-Errant (Yi Hsia Chi)
The Romance of the Water Margin (Shui-Hu Chi)
The Lantern Festival Disturbance (Yuan-Hsiao Nao)
The Wild-Goose-feather Armour (Yen-Ling Chia)
The Green-Jade Screen Mountain (Ts'ui-P'ing Shan)
2. Dramatic Romances Based on T'ang Chivalric Tales
Romance of the Red Whisk (Hung-Fu Chi)
Romance of the two Hung' S (Shuang Hung Chi)
3. Dramatic Romances Based on History
Romance of the Knight of Integrity (Chieh Hsia Chi)
Romance of Stealing the Tally (Ch'ieh Fu Chi)
Knight-Errantry in the Peking Theatre
1. Plays About the Liang-Shan Heroes
2. Plays Based on T'ang Chivalric Tales
3. Plays Based on Later Chivalric Tales
5. Some Conclusions and Comparisons
Chinese and Western Knights Compared
Additional Notes
Bibliography
Sources and References
Glossary
Index
