Abstract
The deterioration of political ecology during the Ming dynasty led to intense conflicts among various political powers and interest groups. Due to the development of publishing technology and Dibao Gazette, lower classes of the society were increasingly involved in political activities. The varying degrees of involvement of different social classes in political struggles influenced related writers' fiction writing and dissemination. In this sense, fiction, especially those based on major political events and historical figures, gradually became an auxiliary vehicle for political struggle. Through the selection and (re)interpretation of historical materials, authors expressed their political views and appeals, attempting to influence the political operation and historical narrative. The creation of these fictions was entangled with various factors, such as disputes and conflicts of political parties, regions, civil and military officials, and some even led to literary violence and bloody incidents. Political writing broke the tradition of fictions as a simple vehicle for education and entertainment, forming a unique literary phenomenon in the history of Chinese fiction.
First Page
95
Last Page
106
Recommended Citation
Wan, Qingchuan. 2020. "The Political Dimension of Vernacular Fictions during the Ming Dynasty as Exemplified by Fictions on Major Historical Events." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 40, (3): pp.95-106. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol40/iss3/22
