Confucian scholars' history

A novel from the Qing dynasty in China. Written by Wu Jingzi. 55 chapters. It is said that the original had 50 chapters, but this is not known. The oldest surviving published version is a 56-chapter edition published in 1803 (8th year of the Jiaqing era). There is a stone-stamped edition with 60 chapters from the Guangxu period (1875-1908), but chapters 56 and after were later expanded. Along with Dream of the Red Chamber, it is considered a masterpiece of Qing dynasty novels. The author was from a distinguished family, but squandered his inheritance and ended his life living the lowest standard as a scholar. From his experiences, he has a sharp critical eye that looks into the dark side of the lives of scholars whose sole aim is to pass the imperial examinations, exposing their desire for wealth and power, sycophancy, and false teachings. At the same time, he also looks at the lives of the merchants, monks, actors, craftsmen, and farmers who deal with them, and realistically depicts the social structure of the time with a sophisticated touch by contrasting the corrupt upper class with the poor but healthy common people. The work does not have a consistent protagonist, and is structured as a collection of short stories in which characters appear one after the other, so it lacks interest in terms of narrative development, but it does show various types of scholars. In particular, the first half of the work focuses on people who are victims of the times but are unknowingly at the mercy of the imperial examinations, while the second half focuses on people who turn their backs on them and love individual freedom. The characters in the work appear to have been based on models, and one character who is thought to be the author himself appears. The fact that this work was read by scholars can be seen from a review by Zhang Wenhu (pen name Tenmoku Sansho). Works published in the late Qing dynasty, such as "Records of the Present State of the Official Office" and "The Mysterious Current State of the Twenty Years' Quest," are said to have been influenced by this work.

[Kanehide Onoue]

"Translated by Takashi Inada, "Chinese Classical Literature Series 43: The History of Confucianism" (Heibonsha, 1968)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、清(しん)代の小説。作者は呉敬梓(ごけいし)。55回。原本は50回であったともいうが伝わらない。現存最古の刊本は1803年（嘉慶8）刊の五十六回本。光緒(こうしょ)年間（1875～1908）に60回の石印本があるが、56回以後は後人が増補したもの。『紅楼夢(こうろうむ)』とともに清代小説の代表作とされる。作者は名家の出身であるが遺産を蕩尽(とうじん)し、士人としては最低生活のなかで生涯を終えた。その体験から、科挙の試験合格のみを目的とする士人の生活の裏面に及ぶ鋭い批判の眼(め)を通して、富と権力への欲望、事大主義、礼教の虚偽などを暴く一方、彼らと交渉をもつ商人、僧侶(そうりょ)、俳優、職人、農民などの生態にも眼を配り、腐敗した上層階級と貧しいが健康な庶民との対比により、当時の社会の構造を洗練された筆致でリアルに描き出している。作品には一貫した主人公はなく、連鎖的に人物を登場させた短編の集積という構成のために物語の展開という面でのおもしろさに欠けるが、士人の各種の類型をみることができる。とくに前半は、時代の犠牲者でありながら自覚せず科挙に振り回される人物、後半は、それに背を向けて個人の自由を愛する人物に関心が向けられている。作中人物にはモデルがあったようで、作者自身と思われる人物も登場する。士人の愛読者があったことは張文虎(ちょうぶんこ)（号は天目山樵(てんもくさんしょう)）の評などからうかがわれる。清末に輩出した『官場現形記(かんじょうげんけいき)』『二十年目覩之怪現状(もくとのかいげんじょう)』などは、この作品の影響を受けたとされる。

［尾上兼英］

『稲田孝訳『中国古典文学大系43　儒林外史』（1968・平凡社）』

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