Old man's travels - Rozan Yuuki

A novel from the end of the Qing Dynasty in China. 20 episodes. Author Liu E. In 1903, it was serialized in the semimonthly magazine "Embroidered Novels" edited by Li Boyuan, but was discontinued after the 13th episode. The following year, it was published in the "Tianjin Daily News" and completed, and in 2006, it was published as a book. A doctor named "Lao Zan" travels around the country and makes connections with the government, and with the help of wise ministers, he works to save those falsely accused, makes measures to prevent robbery, sympathizes with the victims of the Yellow River flood and criticizes the ignorance of government officials in flood control measures. In particular, he points out that clean officials (officials who consider themselves to be clean) are leading the country astray, which is something not seen in other novels. The author's intention was probably to hope for an ideal society in which true wise ministers and clean officials should govern with benevolence. According to the author, there are 16 sequels, but only six have been published.

[Kanehide Onoue]

"Okazaki Toshio's translation of "Rozanyuki" (1965, Heibonsha, Toyo Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、清(しん)末の小説。20回。作者は劉鶚(りゅうがく)。1903年李(り)伯元の編集による『繍像(しゅうぞう)小説』半月刊誌に連載されたが第13回で中止し、翌年『天津(てんしん)日日新聞』に掲載され完結、06年単行本となった。「老残」と名のる医者が各地に旅行して官界と関係をもち、賢臣の助力を得て冤罪(えんざい)を救う仕事をしたり、盗賊予防の策をたてたり、黄河洪水の被害者に同情して官吏の治水対策の無知を批判したりするが、とくに清官(せいかん)（清廉をもって自認する官吏）が国を誤ると指摘するのは、他の小説にみられない点である。作者の意図は、真の賢臣、清官によって仁政が行われるべしとの理想社会を期待したのであろう。続集は作者によると16回あるが、6回が公刊されている。

［尾上兼英］

『岡崎俊夫訳『老残遊記』（1965・平凡社・東洋文庫）』

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