China FDC on "The Scholars, a Masterpiece in Classical Chinese Literature"

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China


The Scholars "儒林外史", a Masterpiece in Classical Chinese Literature

Date of Issue : 21 March 2011

(Top FDC)
6-1 : Lotus Painter Wang Mian
Wang Mian was a talented person. He was born into a poor family. He grew up teaching himself how to read and draw and finally acquired considerable fame for his mastery of history and astronomy and excellence in painting lotus. Despite his admirable talent and profound learning, Wang despised wealth and power, and refused to be an official.

(2nd FDC)
6-2 : Fan Jin Succeeding in the Imperial Exam
A 54-year-old scholar who had participated in the imperial exam more than 20 times, but failed in all of them. The unsuccessful attempts led him to poverty and forced him to endure jeers of others. When he eventually passed the exam, the scholar was extremely excited but soon fell into madness, acting like a fool. His father-in-law heavily slapped his face, bringing him back to normality.

(3rd FDC)
6-3 : Two Lamps Wicks
Yan Jiansheng is a wealthy but stingy landlord. On his deathbed, the miser couldn't stop his breath peacefully, with two fingers stretched out, worrying about the two wicks in the oil lamp. His concubine understood what he was trying to convey and removed the extra wick. Yan finally breathed his last.

(4th FDC)
6-4 : Mr Ma Er Visiting West Lake
A story about a scholar who is obsessed with stereotyped eight-party essay. When visiting West Lake, Ma Er was not attracted by the beautiful natural scenery, but instead paid homage with the fan in hand to an inscription by Emperor Renzong.

(5th FDC)
6-5 : Du Shaoqing and His Wife on a Mountain Tour
Du cast off the bondage of feudal ethics and toured a mountain hand in hand with his wife, despite the gaze of others.

(6th FDC)
6-6 : Shen Qiongzhi selling Poetry on Lishe Bridge
Shen Qiongzhi was forced to become the concubine of a rich salt merchant named Song Weifu. After running away to Nanjing, she supported herself by selling poetry on Lishe Bridge. When Du Shaoqing and Wu Shu met Shen at the bridge and heard her story, they highly praised the woman.

Rulin Waishi, literally translated as Unoffical History of the Scholars, or simply as The Scholars, was created in the Qing Dynasty by Wu Jingzi (1701 - 1754). The classic while reflecting the author's praise and recognition towards the good characters, depicts the lives and minds of Chinese feudal scholar-bureaucrats, ironically satirizes the fatuity and incompetence of feudal officals, and exposes the corruption of imperial examination system as well as the abominable ethics as a whole.