Collectively known as the Four Great Classical Novels(四大名著, sì dà míng zhù),Journey to the West,Outlaws of the Marsh,Dream of the Red Chamber, andRomance of Three Kingdomsare cornerstones of classical Chinese literature, and have enthralled and delighted readers for centuries. They are considered must-read texts for scholars, and really anyone that is interested in better understanding Chinese culture and language.
However, the language in the books, which is mostly classical Chinese (文言文, wén yán wén), requires very strong reading skills and can be challenging even for some native speakers, let alone those learning it as a foreign language.
So what's a xué shēngto do? Luckily, all four of these classics have been adapted into cartoon versions aimed at a younger audience, with simplified and relatively easy-to-understand dialogue. Whether you're a child or just a child-at-heart, watching these cartoons is a great way for Mandarin learners to access these Chinese classics in a fun, entertaining way.
Journey to the West (《西游记》, Xī yóu jì)
Journey to the Westtells the story of the legendary pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang as he travels westward from China into to central Asia and India. Set during the Tang dynasty (唐朝, táng cháo) (618-907), the story is filled with trials and tribulations, which Xuanzang – accompanied by his three protectors, including the most famous of all, 'Monkey King' – must overcome. The book has been adapted into numerous movies and TV series (电视连续剧, diàn shì lián xù jù). This cartoon has 52 episodes in total, each of which lasts for 20 minutes.
Outlaws of the Marsh (《水浒传》, Shuǐ hǔ zhuàn)
Written by Shi Nai'an (施耐庵, shī nài ān) in the 14th Century, this book tells the story of 108 outlaws who join forces to form an army to stand against their harsh feudal rulers. Eventually granted amnesty by the government, they are then sent on campaigns to resist invaders and suppress rebel forces. This story was actually written in vernacular Chinese (白话文, bái huà wén), rather than classical, and has been adapted into 52 episodes for the cartoon version.
Dream of the Red Chamber (《红楼梦》, Hóng lóu mèng)
Dream of the Red Chamberis perhaps the most highly revered of the four classics. Written by Cao Xueqin (曹雪芹, cáo xuě qín), this masterpiece is believed to be semi-autobiographical, as the story mirrors the fortunes of Cao's own family. The novel is famous not only for its huge cast of characters and psychological scope, but also as a great historical record – the detailed observations about daily life and social structures give audiences a great insight into how 18th-century Chinese aristocrats would have lived.
Romance of Three Kingdoms (《三国演义》, Sān guó yǎn yì)
Romance of the Three Kingdomsis a Chinese historical novel (中国历史小说, zhōng guó lì shǐ xiǎo shuō) that takes place at the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdom's era, a particularly turbulent time in Chinese history. While it follows hundreds of different characters, the main focus is on the three power blocs that eventually became the three states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu (曹魏、蜀汉和东吴, cáo wèi、shǔ hàn hé dōng wú). The novel is rich with plot twists and intrigue, battles both in personal lives and on the literal battlefield, and spans almost 100 years in total.
