What happens when money, family duty and desire pull people in different directions?

In Stories to Enlighten the World, Feng Menglong explores morality, wisdom and human nature through short tales. Merchants, scholars, wives, monks, officials, thieves and lovers share a world where choices carry moral weight. Money presses against loyalty, desire tests duty, and the search for justice brings ordinary lives before those who hold power.

These tales explore the ties between children and parents, husbands and wives, masters and servants. Their subjects include the power of money, the bonds of family and friendship, and the work of judges. Through them, Feng offers a lively picture of Chinese life before and during his own late Ming world, inviting readers to see themselves more clearly.

この本で学べること

• Money and desire Explore how wealth and longing shape choices in a society of busy markets and travelling merchants.
• The claims of duty See loyalty tested between parents and children, friends, spouses, masters and servants.
• The search for justice Meet local magistrates in tales that turn toward law and those who administer it.
• Everyday lives in view Encounter merchants, monks, scholars and thieves through stories that take ordinary people seriously.
• Wisdom through plain tales Discover Feng's belief that a well-told story can teach more than a sermon.

どのような方におすすめですか？

昔の中国の世間話、犯罪の謎解き、怪談、義理堅い友情が好きな読者には、この40編が楽しめます。宋や明の中国で暮らす商人や学者、妻たちに関心がある方にも向いています。