The Art of Cunning in Water Margin

Comment on the "dark science" in "Water Margin": the machinations of the dark side of human nature. "Water Margin" is often regarded as a heroic legend, but the "dark science" hidden in it reveals a different picture of human nature and society. From the perspective of character creation, Song Jiang can be said to be the representative of "black belly". He has spread benevolence and righteousness in the world and won the reputation of "timely rain". However, every move he makes is hidden with calculations. The private release of Chao Gai may seem like a righteous act, but in fact, it has accumulated deep network capital for himself in Green Forest, thereby enhancing his prestige and voice in the world, and laying the groundwork for the future power layout of Liangshan. Within Liangshan, he skillfully took advantage of the contradictions of all parties and the character weaknesses of the heroes, quietly evaded Chao Gai, and gradually gathered power into his own hands. The obscurity of his methods and the meticulousness of his thoughts demonstrated his superb "scheming" skills, allowing us to see the complex human motivations behind the name of loyalty. Wu Yong also knows this well. He inspired Lin Chong to kill Wang Lun, ostensibly for the sake of the future of Liangshan, but in fact he wanted to gain a foothold in Liangshan for himself and Chao Gai's faction. His words to sow discord and his precise control over people's hearts showed his "shady" nature. He relied on his resourcefulness to stand firm in the power struggle in Liangshan. He planned events many times to push the situation in his own favor. For example, Lu Junyi came to the mountain, which not only strengthened Liangshan's prestige, but also skillfully balanced the internal forces. His methods could not be described as "black". The "dirty science" in the book reflects the way of survival in that dark era. In the context of the decay of feudal rule and the collapse of social order, the law of the jungle prevails, and characters have to use various means to survive and develop. These "black-bellied" plots are not unfounded fabrications, but profound reflections of reality, revealing the distortion and struggle of human nature in extreme environments. However, excessive focus on "dirty studies" may also cause readers to ignore the positive values ​​​​contained in "Water Margin" such as loyalty and resistance to oppression, turning it into a mere textbook of Machiavellian tactics. This is something that needs to be vigilant when interpreting this classic. However, it is undeniable that the analysis of the "dirty theory" in it provides a unique perspective for us to understand the complexity of the work and the multi-faceted nature of human nature, allowing this masterpiece to still trigger our in-depth thinking about human nature, society and history hundreds of years later.