Shi Nai'an wordt erkend als de toegeschreven samensteller van een baanbrekend werk in de Chinese literatuur, een van de meest gevierde klassieke romans. Zijn bijdrage biedt diepgaande inzichten in de maatschappelijke dynamiek en narratieve tradities van zijn tijd. Ondanks schaarse biografische details zijn de blijvende impact en de literaire betekenis van zijn geschriften onmiskenbaar. Zijn kenmerkende vertelstijl en thematische diepgang verstevigen zijn plaats als een fundamentele figuur in de Chinese literaire geschiedenis.
Although Song Jiang is only a lowly local government official, he is loyal to the emperor and kind to all the citizens in his care. But Song is in trouble. A series of unfortunate incidents have led to him being arrested, and his political enemies are keen to see him sentenced to death.
Based on the historical bandit Song Jiang and his companions, this Chinese tale parallels the English classic of Robin Hood and His Merry Men, depicting an epic rebellion against tyranny that has captivated readers for centuries. This edition features a new preface and introduction by Edwin Lowe, who contextualizes the story for modern audiences and explores its history. The first English translation by Pearl S. Buck in 1933 titled All Men Are Brothers was followed by J.H. Jackson's translation, The Water Margin, in 1937. In this updated version, Lowe addresses the shortcomings of the original translation, restoring the grit and flavor of Shuihui Zhuan found in Chinese texts. He reintroduces elements such as sexual seduction, explicit brutality, and the raw voices of the lower classes during the Song Dynasty, which were sanitized in earlier translations. Additionally, the true names of Chinese deities, Bodhisattvas, gods, and demons are reinstated, along with the character of Ximen Qing. While rooted in Chinese culture, the themes of this narrative resonate universally, inspiring countless movies, television shows, and video games to this day.
Der Roman spielt zur Zeit der Sòng-Dynastie und erzählt von Sòng Jiāng und seinem Bund, der gegen Korruption kämpft. Er thematisiert traditionelle Werte des Neokonfuzianismus und bietet reichhaltige, naturalistische Beschreibungen der Gesellschaft. Die ungekürzte Übersetzung umfasst 2000 Seiten mit umfassenden Erläuterungen.