In the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, the common people spoke almost the same as today. Why were the books left behind always so difficult to understand? This question involved many aspects such as language, culture, and reading methods. In terms of language, although the common people of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties spoke in some ways similar to the language of today, their pronunciation, intonation, grammar, vocabulary, and other aspects were very different. These differences made reading require extra effort to understand the characteristics and patterns of the language. The cultural and historical background would also affect the difficulty of the book. In the Song and Yuan Dynasties, poetry and prose were very popular because of their unique literary style and aesthetic value. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, novels and operas were also very popular. These works often integrated rich social and life experiences, and readers needed more reading experience and cultural background to understand. The reading method also had an impact. In the past, books were usually written by scholars or professionals who had relatively high literary attainments and reading experience. At the same time, the spread of books often relied on word of mouth and inheritance. Therefore, readers often needed to have a certain understanding of the history and background of the book in order to understand the content and meaning. In the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, the common people spoke almost the same as today. Why were the books left behind always so difficult to understand? These reasons would affect the difficulty of the book and the reading experience.
The prosperity of novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was mainly related to the following factors: 1. social change: during the Ming and Qing dynasties, China experienced social change, the process of urban development accelerated population flow, frequent social class division was obvious, and these changes also provided a rich theme and plot for the creation of novels. 2. Prosperity of culture: During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, culture flourished, and great achievements were made in literature, opera, and other fields. Fictions also took advantage of the situation to become one of the most important literary forms at that time. 3. The tradition of novel creation: The creation of novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was deeply influenced by the creation tradition of ancient Chinese novels. For example, novels such as "Dream of the Red Chamber" were inherited from classical novels such as "Water Margins". 4. Market demand: During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the market demand was strong. As a form of literature, novels were widely spread and accepted, and their creation flourished. 5. technological progress: novel creation in the Ming and Qing Dynasties relied on unprecedented technological progress, such as the advancement of printing technology, which allowed novels to spread faster and expand their influence. These factors together made the creation of novels flourish in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The peak of Chinese ancient novel creation was during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Ming and Qing Dynasties were the peak period of Chinese novel creation, and many excellent novels appeared. The novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were not only numerous but also of high quality, such as classic works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, and Water Margins. These works not only occupied an important position in the history of Chinese literature, but also had a profound impact on world literature. The Song and Yuan Dynasties were also the peak of Chinese novel creation, but compared with the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the number of novels in the Song and Yuan Dynasties was relatively small, and the quality was not as good as that of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The prosperity of novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was mainly due to the following reasons: 1. social unrest: during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, China was in social unrest, wars, uprisings, natural disasters and other events occurred frequently. People's lives were extremely difficult. In order to survive and develop, people needed more entertainment and pastimes. Therefore, novels in this form became their first choice. 2. Prosperity of novel creation: During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the creation of novels began to flourish. Many excellent works were created, such as "Dream of the Red Chamber","Journey to the West","Water Margins" and so on. These works were not only rich in content but also had high literary value, becoming the classics of Chinese classical literature. 3. The novels were widely spread. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, novels began to spread through various channels, such as manuscripts, operas, novels and magazines. These methods of communication made novels more popular and more people could come into contact with novels, thus promoting the prosperity of novels. 4. Diverse types of novels: The types of novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were very rich, including legends, romance, strange stories, novels, operas, etc. Each type had its own unique characteristics and styles, allowing readers to choose to read according to their own preferences. Combining the above reasons, the prosperity of novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties came into being.
The development of the commodity economy in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The influence on ideology and culture. In the four periods of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, the development of commodity economy caused great changes in the field of ideology and culture. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, with the development of the economy, the exchange of goods had become a part of daily life, so the ideology and culture had also changed. The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi once said,"Merchants value profit more than parting." This showed that in the Tang Dynasty, merchants had attached great importance to business transactions and despised parting feelings. In the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, the development of commodity economy was more significant, and people's ideology and culture also changed. Li Shizhong, a merchant of the Ming Dynasty, once said,"Agriculture is not as good as workers, not as good as merchants, not as good as officials, not as good as thieves." This showed that the status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty was far lower than other professions, and the collusion between officials and merchants had become a corrupt phenomenon. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the agricultural economy was highly developed. At the same time, it revealed the following characteristics: The development of agricultural economy made the society relatively stable, providing enough food and other agricultural products to provide the foundation for the development of commodity economy. The agricultural economy was highly developed, and the living standards of farmers had been improved, so the ideology and culture had also changed. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, farmers criticized the government's supervision and thought that the government should pay more attention to the development of agriculture instead of interfering with their lives. The development of farming economy also brought about the continuous advancement of agricultural technology, making agricultural production more efficient and providing protection for the development of commodity economy.
The Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties were an important period for the development of science and technology in China. Some important scientific works appeared. The following are some representative works: Dream Creek Pen Talks: Written by Shen Kuo, a poet and scientist of the Northern Song Dynasty, is a comprehensive scientific work covering mechanics, astronomy, geography, biology and many other fields. 2. History of the Song Dynasty, Records of Art and Culture: Zhao Shuli, a historian of the Song Dynasty, recorded the literature, art, science and other knowledge of the Song Dynasty, including some scientific works. 3. Classic of Mountains and Seas: The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai wrote a book that recorded ancient Chinese myths and legends and geographical knowledge, including some astronomy and geological knowledge. 4. Elements of Geometries: The foundation work of Western mathematics written by the ancient Greek mathematician, Ethereal, contains a large amount of geometry and mathematical knowledge. 5. The Golden Mirror of Medicine: A comprehensive medical work written by a Ming Dynasty doctor, Wu Jutong, covers internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and many other fields. It includes some biological and anatomical knowledge. 6 " Tian Gong Kai Wu ": Written by Song Yingxing, a scientist of the Ming Dynasty, it was an introduction to Chinese agriculture and craftsmanship techniques, including some knowledge of biology and geography. These are some of the representative scientific works of the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties. They have had a profound impact on the development of science and technology in later generations.
There were many reasons for the active thinking of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. 1. Historical background: The Ming and Qing Dynasties were a period of high prosperity in economy, culture and politics in Chinese history. At the same time, it was also a period of invasion by foreign powers and intensified ethnic conflicts. These external factors promoted the prosperity and multiplication of ideas. 2. Ruler's policy: The rulers of the Ming and Qing Dynasties adopted a more tolerant attitude towards ideology and culture, allowing and encouraging people to express their thoughts freely. At the same time, they also strengthened the suppression and control of ideology and culture. This had led to a greater degree of freedom and open-mindedness in their thinking and culture. 3. Cultural tradition: The Ming and Qing Dynasties were the peak period of ancient Chinese culture. Many traditional cultural thoughts and values were further developed and deepened, which provided the foundation for the prosperity of thoughts. 4. Academic development: The academic development of the Ming and Qing Dynasties entered a climax. Many philosophers devoted themselves to studying ancient classics and traditional culture to explore new academic ideas and theories. The similarity between them was that the ideologists in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were against tradition and sought innovation, focusing on criticism and reflection, pursuing the transcendence and freedom of thought. At the same time, these ideologists also had a high sense of social responsibility and historical awareness. They paid attention to social reality and the future and put forward many forward-looking ideas and theories.
The representative of Tang literature was Dream of the Red Chamber, which was the pinnacle of Chinese classical novels. It narrated the stories of Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and others, depicting the style of feudal society and the complexity of human nature. The representative works of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties were Water Margins, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Dream of the Red Chamber. The Water Margins described the peasant uprising of the Song Dynasty, showing the sufferings of the people and the spirit of resistance against oppression. Journey to the West was one of the most famous mythical novels in China. It was about the story of Sun Wukong and others who went to the West to obtain scriptures. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms narrated the historical stories of the Three Kingdoms period, describing the lives and war scenes of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others. " Dream of the Red Chamber " was a love story about Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and others. It depicted the style of feudal society and the complexity of human nature. It was considered the pinnacle of Chinese classical novels.
The Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties referred to the historical changes between the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties in Chinese history. The Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) was a dynasty in Chinese history. It was the general name of the three dynasties of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the Later Shu, the Southern Tang, and the Northern Song. The Song Dynasty's politics, economy, and culture had all developed greatly. It was known as the era of "economic prosperity, cultural prosperity, and martial arts strength." The Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) was a dynasty in Chinese history. It was established by the Mongol Empire in the late 13th century. The territory of the Yuan Dynasty was unprecedentedly vast, including present-day China, many countries in Asia, and a part of Europe. The ruler of the Yuan Dynasty was Kublai Khan. He implemented a series of important reforms, such as the implementation of the "central power" system, the development of territory, the development of energy, etc., which made the politics, economy, and culture of the Yuan Dynasty develop greatly. The Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) was a dynasty in Chinese history. It was the dynasty after the Yuan Dynasty and also the "Renaissance" period in Chinese history. The political system of the Ming Dynasty was relatively perfect. The economy was prosperous, the culture was prosperous, and the foreign policy was flexible. Science and technology developed rapidly. The leaders of the Ming Dynasty were Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di, Wanli, etc. The Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912) was a dynasty in Chinese history. It was the dynasty after the Ming Dynasty. The political system of the Qing Dynasty was relatively perfect. The economic center of gravity moved southward. The culture was prosperous. The martial arts were strong. The foreign policy was tough. The development of science and technology was slow. The leaders of the Qing Dynasty were Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, etc. In Chinese history, the change between the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty was an important historical event. It marked the end of China's feudal society and China entered a capitalist society. The change between the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty marked the decline of China's feudal society and the beginning of the modern process.
The Three Great Books of Life referred to the books that appeared in ancient Chinese novels that described the philosophy of life and the way of life, including the Analects of Confucius, the Tao Te Ching, and Zhuangzi. The Analects of Confucius was one of the Confucian classics. The author, Confucius, was a great ideologist and teacher during the Spring and Autumn Period. The content mainly recorded the words, deeds, and thoughts of Confucius and his disciples, emphasizing the Confucian values of benevolence, honesty, filial piety, etc. The Analects of Confucius was regarded as one of the most important classics in ancient China, which had a profound influence on Chinese people's thoughts and moral values. The Tao Te Ching is one of the Taoist classics. The author, Lao Tzu, was a philosopher and ideologist in the Spring and Autumn Period. Its content mainly records Lao Tzu's thoughts and views on the universe and life, emphasizing values such as Tao, virtue, inaction and nature. Tao Te Ching played an important role in the development and inheritance of Taoist philosophy, and it was also an important part of ancient Chinese culture. Zhuangzi was a classic work of the School of Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi was a philosopher and ideologist during the Warring States Period. Its content mainly recorded Zhuangzi's thoughts and views on nature and life, emphasizing values such as freedom, inaction, etc. Zhuangzi was regarded as one of the representative works of Taoist philosophy, which had a profound influence on the development of ancient Chinese philosophy and culture. The main reasons why these books appeared in ancient Chinese novels were as follows: Confucianism had always played an important role in ancient Chinese society, and the ideas in classic works such as The Analects of Confucius, Tao Te Ching and Zhuang Zi were deeply influenced by Confucianism. Taoist philosophy also played an important role in ancient Chinese society, and the ideas in works such as Zhuangzi were deeply influenced by Taoist philosophy. The Ming and Qing Dynasties were the prosperous period of ancient Chinese culture. Many works of ideologists and cultural people appeared in this period, including the Analects of Confucius, Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi and other classic works. These classic works were widely spread and read during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which had a profound impact on the development of ancient Chinese culture and philosophy, so they were generally regarded as the three great books of life.
There were many outstanding poets in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Tang Dynasty (618 - 907): Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, Wang Zhihuan, Liu Yuxi, Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, etc. Song Dynasty (1044 - 1279): Su Shi, Su Xun, Su Zhe, Wang Anshi, Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gong, Lu You, Yang Wanli, Xin Qiji, Su Shi, Zhou Bangyan, etc. Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368): Yuan Haowen, Ma Zhiyuan, Bai Pu, Zheng Sixiao, Guan Hanqing, Zhang Kejiu, Ding Yundi, etc. Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644): Li Shizhong, Xu Wei, Wen Zhengming, Lang Maoshan, Huang Gongshao, Yang Shen, Zheng Xie, Li Zongmin, etc. Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911): Nalan Xingde, Shi Tao, Hongli, Qianlong, Zheng Banqiao, Zheng Xie, Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, etc. This is only a small part of them. There are many other poets. Each dynasty has its own unique characteristics and outstanding poets.