10 Best Chinese Books of All Time (by 10 Greatest Chinese Authors)

In this video I will tell you top 10 Chinese novels of all time. They are the best of the best in the span of some 700 years. Five of them are classic novels and five are modern novels. In separate videos I have reviewed a Chinese best-seller, Wolf Totem, and one of my favourite novels by Yu Hua. I will link those videos down below so you can watch them here. I am very new to Chinese literature a little more, so I want to explore Chinese literature more. So this video is just an introduction to Chinese literature. Okay let’s begin with the biggest novel of all time.
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Other videos on Chinese literature:
Lu Xun's A Madman's Diary review: • Diary of a Madman by N...
Yu Hua's A Chronicle of A Blood Merchant: • Chronicle of A Blood M...
Jiang Rong's Wolf Totem: • Video
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[@Fiction_Beast]

My review of Lu Xun's A Madman's Diary: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHjMkmuXh6-og9U For centuries, fiction was considered too feminine so most of the literary giants only wrote poetry, not fiction. But these 10 novels are the best of the best. Have you read any of the novels mentioned? If yes, what do you think? If not, which would you like to read?

[@ikk16]

make video oguz kagan epic.

[@Fiction_Beast]

@@ikk16 if you have an english copy, please send me one. It's hard to find a copy.

[@ikk16]

@@Fiction_Beast KZbin delete my send link. Your email send link. pdf link in turkish university web site.

[@Fiction_Beast]

@@ikk16 Thanks i got the link. IT's a research paper, not the book itself. I will check it out anyway. I made a video on the Book of Dede Korkut by the way. Is it similar?

[@ikk16]

@@Fiction_Beast Slightly different. Oguz khan epic is the biography of oguz khan. There is an English version of the epic at the end of the pdf.

[@astratow]

0:30 Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Luo Guangzhong 1:55 Water Margin, Shi Nai'an 3:25 Journey to the West, Wu Cheng'en 5:00 The Plum in the Golden Vase, Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng 6:35 Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao Xueqin 8:10 Madman's Diary Lu Xun 8:50 Family, Ba Jin 10:35 Rickshaw Boy or Camel Xiangzi, Lao She 12:00 Red Sorghum Mo Yan 13:00 To Live, Yu Hua

[@shonfeliciano8012]

Great video !!!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thanks for the visit

[@joshua2329]

Moment in Peking by Lin Yutang

[@DorJinTan]

3 body problem...?

[@vaibhavnayak5890]

Old epics are great. Their encyclopedic scope always baffles me. It is a celebration of multifaceted intellect.People should write an epic for modern times. Work of a lifetime for sure.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I think most epics were written centuries after the actual events described . As you move farther away from historical events while most of the details are lost, the main plots or events become more vivid therefore easier to turn into neat tales.

[@whspore9534]

Marvelous, and some comments: Mo Yan is the first Nobel Prize winner as a Chinese national. However, while "Chinese books" are concerned Gao Xingjian, who took up French citizenship, was the first laureate in year 2000. In the 20th Century, novels by Eileen Chang were highly regarded by Chinese-American scholar of literature Chih-Tsing Hsia. Hsia had numerous authoritative writings in English.

[@barrymoore4470]

Chinese fiction is mostly terra incognita for me, so I appreciate learning of these esteemed authors and their works. I am more familiar with Chinese poetry (in English translation, of course), really loving the masters of the Tang era, such as Du Fu and Li Bai.

[@diegocolomes]

Very interesting! I only know "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang and "Soul Mountain" by Gao Xingjian, and I know more or less the general plot of Journey to the West.

[@capy222b]

I'm a Chinese living in Southeast Asia and been wanting to read more Chinese books. Heard of Lu Xun before, but thought it will be hard to read. I'm an English literature student by the way and sometimes I come across Chinese books translated into English, and find it difficult to get into, mainly because seeing the names and locations translated into English seems jarring. My Chinese is pretty good so I know how those names and places are written in Chinese characters. A person's name in Chinese character actually has a lot of meaning and aspirations attached to it, which an English translation cannot put across. I will try reading Lu Xun in Chinese. Perhaps this will help me better get into it.

[@Sachie465]

I thought “why is 大地 (The good earth) not in the list?” Then I found out that it was written by an American lady. We live and learn.

[@rihanhai7724]

就个人而言，鲁迅的《狂人日记》是具有开拓性的，但绝不是他最富代表性的作品，因为他还写了《阿Q正传》

[@scphj7745]

我觉得鲁迅最好的小说（集）是《呐喊》

[@dr.gaosclassroom]

The Romance of Three Kingdoms is my favourite classic and Guan Yu is my hero of all time! Thanks for making this video!!

[@satyendrasinghbhadauriya594]

I am from IndiaThank you very much for adding Hindi subtitle to the caption. 🌹💓👌

[@Fiction_Beast]

You’re welcome.

[@dr.gaosclassroom]

The Poetry from The Dreams of Red Mansion is great!!

[@stevenhuang3635]

Lu Xun has been the most influential writer of the 20th century who not only changed Chinese Literature from the classical age to the modern age but also influenced China socially and politically by raising and also aspiring countless young writers (like Xiao Hong and Xiao Jun) and scholars（like Qian Xuesen) at his time, who later become influential at their own time and have contributed to their countries in various ways. It is safe to say that Lu Xun is not only a writer but also a social reformer and educator who has profoundly shifted the trend and development of China over the next hundred years. For these reasons, I always consider him a God and have kept my admiration towards him deeply inside me to motivate my own writing.

[@WhiteBloggerBlackSpecs]

People sleep on Chinese literature

[@sharontheodore8216]

Chinese literature is so fascinating given that it reflects such a rich and complex threads of social and historic events all woven together to produce a very intricate design. Hope in 2022 you will have a chance to visit China’s neighbouring country, India. Many thanks and stay safe.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you, Sharon! Yes, Indian literature needs more attention. I'll look into it.

[@cheri238]

​@@Fiction_Beast I love you ❤

[@nemesisurvivorleon]

Reading all of Romance of the Three Kingdoms IN CHINESE is one of the great accomlishments in life to strive for.

[@muskyoxes]

Now for a real challenge - ten best Chinese novels with female leads

[@vivianebourdin3444]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@Nancy-gr3tx]

I am a Chinese and I think your introduction is very good.Most of the books you mention actually are the required reading materials in our high school. You introduced so logically and also help me to learn and rethink a lot.

[@ModernChineseCulturalStudies]

You can learn more about Yu Hua's life and works in this brief video I made as part of my UBC course on The Modern Chinese Novel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2TWk2WNYq2Daac

[@bajoespacio]

I expected to find The Art of War by Sun Tzu included, but this list seems interesting.

[@dr.gaosclassroom]

The Art of War is probably not classified as literature but more of a classics such as the Analects and other works by philosophers or other experts. They were classified as 子 such as 孟子 and 韩非子, etc

[@cheri238]

That is true.

[@ValleDrew51]

I haven't read anything except the Diary of a Madman which is a 20 minute minute read and which you obviously didn't read. Your summary is completely off. It's "eat people" not babies at all. And he doesn't think the others are mad he just fears for his life and the moral degradation of others because of their ancient man-eating habits. It is a bit concerning you didnt read a 10 page story which makes a video commenting on several thousand page novels. Thank you wikipedia, I guess.

[@luyuwang3464]

Just wanted to add that, The Romance of Three Kingdoms is not a book authored by one person - it's a collective work done by generations of story-tellers. It is truly a book evolved over time which contains some most prominent archetypal characters as embodiments of Confucius principles, aka, 仁义礼智信 (benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom and believe). It has a special space in our culture. Really like your videos by the way. It would be nice to cover Wang Yang Ming, a Chinese philosopher who reinvented Confucianism by incorporating ideas from Buddism and Taosim. He is the one who influenced many Chinese intellectuals since Ming Dynasty, but I haven't seem him being introduced or discussed much in the west.

[@vazzeg]

One classical novel I highly recommend you check out is《儒林外史》or "The Scholars" by Wu Jingzi. It was written in the 18th century and it beautifully depicts the corruption of the scholarly official class, the mandarins and all sorts of government officials. This of course isn't the only topic of the book, but this is the most prominent one.

[@HarrySmith-hr2iv]

I'm glad you mentioned this novel. I read 'The Scholars' in English, in 1976, when I was working in Beijing China for a UK-EU company. I needed something to keep me occupied in the evenings!

[@vazzeg]

@@HarrySmith-hr2iv I read from around mid-last December up this February and with similar intent: I needed something to keep me sane while trying to finish my PhD in Chinese history haha.

[@HarrySmith-hr2iv]

@@vazzeg I understand! At the China Printing Company, the control systems I was working on sometimes went awry: I needed something to keep me sane while I was trying to get it working.

[@olivergormlie3346]

Thanks man. This video is great! I love Chinese literature and am soo fucking glad that you included old shit too. I’m currently reading the full Water Margin and it’s one of the best books I have ever read ! Finally someone interested in this subject ! Thank you very much for your content! Have a nice day

[@Fiction_Beast]

Hey am glad there is somsone else into Chinese literature. I started reading Chinese novels this years and it's has been an amazing journey so far. I have to be honest, the old classics are fantastic, you kind of imagine the whole of nation of China as you read them.

[@paulwally9007]

Thank God you didn't include any rubbish by Xiao Lu Guo. Making my way -slowly- through Three Kingdoms and Red Chamber. Incredible.

[@Benwong-c1b]

People who grow up in different countries it probably have different opinions This is not be able for all people I like to read Liu zhongjing he’s book But the most of peoples don’t know he’s book

[@tomlabooks3263]

Fantastic video, and very useful. Thank you!

[@Fiction_Beast]

You're very welcome!

[@SparklingBlue89]

Great video. I read all stories on this list besides the Plum in the Golden Vase. It's just so long..

[@spinecrackers1497]

Great video. Definitely need to dive into some of these. We did an episode a while back on Ah Cheng's The King of Trees and really enjoyed it n

[@Fiction_Beast]

I'll check it out! Thanks for stopping by.

[@ntang99]

Compared with your videos on Russian literature, the review here on Chinese literature is too shallow and barely scratches the surface. Each of the four classical novels represents a whole set of novels by itself. Chinese classic literature is far more rich than the modern and near modern ones. Literature is kind of dead in China since the beginning of twenty century. In the last fifty years, quite ironically, the Chinese gongfu novels are the most popular books read by Chinese.

[@Fiction_Beast]

You're right. I will cover Chinese literature in more detail in the future. I guess russian literature has a wider readership so it is easy to get views.

[@diegocolomes]

Maybe it would have been preferable not to mention Chinese literature at all... (Irony).

[@barbaraboethling596]

Thanks for the video! At last I have found some Chinese authors to try!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Glad I could help!

[@ryanm2190]

This channel is a great find. I subscribed instantly!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thanks so much!

[@Μιχαέλα-ν9ζ]

Very nice and interesting! Thank you for your work!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@sebbo95]

thanks for the spoilers......

[@Fiction_Beast]

Which one were you planning to read?

[@barrymoore4470]

There is always a risk of being exposed to narrative explication whenever one consults critical analysis and assessment of literature or cinema. Personally, this has never been an issue for me--I have never been deterred from reading a book or watching a film by knowing the story beforehand. Much of the art in these forms resides in how the story is told, not necessarily the story itself.

[@sioumiao3062]

You really read all of them? Those old ones are so long like a never ending drama series.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Not all, but bits and pieces. I read the last 5.

[@solh8844]

Thank you !🌿

[@carlogambare9114]

Thanks man ! Of the last two, they also made movies didn't they? Both with Gong Li. Would you suggest to read other novels from Mo Yan and Yu Hua?

[@Fiction_Beast]

I would read all Yu Hua's novels but Mo Yan, for some reason I didn't get into his style.

[@carlogambare9114]

@@Fiction_Beast Still, you did like Red Sorghum, right? Thanks for answering me anyway :)

[@Fiction_Beast]

Yes I did.

[@Srulio]

Thanks for this excellent summary of an amazing literary tradition. The newer translation of Red Chambers is more accurate but also more verbose. IMHO Yu Hua's Seventh Day earns its place on any top ten Chinese novels list.

[@eltchupakabra4419]

为什么您描述用用英语啊？

[@Fiction_Beast]

I don’t speak Chinese

[@PaloukaMan]

@@Fiction_Beast 😂 Of course not ! You are from UK ! British ? Thank you 🙏🏻

[@PaloukaMan]

@@Fiction_Beast Sorry , I just found this channel + saw this comment . It’s funny someone wrote in Chinese ! Thank you again - it’s great 🙏🏻

[@ivyyang7219]

Thank you for making this video,I am Chinese,it’s very interesting from foreigners’ perspective,actually as a girl I am not interested in romance of the three kingdoms and water margin,as to journey to west,we are so familiar with the outlines from tv since childhood,perhaps for this reason,I would not be attracted by the book written by an author from Ming dynasty ,also I haven’t read dream of the red chamber which is very hard to read though the traditional Chinese is beautiful,anyway all these four masterpieces will be found in every Chinese family’s book shelf 😂😂😂

[@bunnygirlerika9489]

Found some of ur videos and wow impressed and u earned my sub.