Name: The Scholars
Author: Wu Jingzi

Stats

8.5Score

59Chapters

Synopsis

"The Scholars" is a novel written by Wu Jingzi in the Qing Dynasty. It is a model of ancient satirical literature in my country. The book has a total of fifty-six chapters, about 400,000 words, and describes nearly two hundred characters. The novel is set in the Ming Dynasty, and actually reflects the fame and life of scholars under the imperial examination system during the Kangxi and Qianlong periods. Wu Jingzi's successful portrayal of the portrait of feudal literati living in the last days of feudalism and the imperial examination system, as well as his vivid depiction of the cannibalistic imperial examination, ethics and corruption, made him one of the outstanding writers of critical realism in the history of Chinese literature.

Reader comments

The characters in it are so vividly drawn that they reminded me of many people in real life. It feels a bit similar to "The Appearance of Officialdom", both of which are satires of social reality. Moreover, I feel that I am sometimes like those scholars in the book, who do whatever it takes to pursue fame and wealth. However, this also made me understand more about the meaning of life, and I cannot live just for money and status.
3 likes2y ago