
The Broken Seals
Part One of The Marshes of Mount Liang by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
The Broken Seals
Part One of The Marshes of Mount Liang by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong
About this book
When Marshal Hong breaks the seals which generations of Taoist Masters have placed on the temple doors to hold back 108 incarcerated Demon Princes, powerful forces of disorder are released. One after another, brave men fall out with officialdom and are obliged to join the brotherhood of the rivers and lakes?the mixed company of heroes and vagabonds who live by their wits and their fighting skills. The story of The Broken Seals branches this way and that, following first one hero, then another, as their paths converge and part, until finally 108 brave?but not entirely admirable?men are united at the outlaws' stronghold in the Marshes of Mount Liang. The story takes us through the vast landscope of imperial China. We hear of epic duels, gargantuan feasts, and cunning ambushes, and we witness injustice, betrayal, murder and revenge. We are told also of the beauty of the moon during Mid-Autumn Festival or of the snow, crisp underfoot on a stormy night in the country. This volume consists of the first twenty-two chapters of the full 120-chapter version of the classic Chinese novel by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong. It is the first English translation based on this version and including much of the verse. It offers the English reader something of the liveliness and humour of a work which has delighted generations of Chinese readers.
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Table of contents
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Acknowlegements
- Introduction
- Prologue
- Chapter 1. The Heavenly Master from plaguesdelivers us; A foolish marshal lets thedemons loose!
- Chapter 2. Instructor Wang secretly makes his escape;Shi Jin gets his defences into shape!
- Chapter 3. Squire Shi leaves Huayin by night; Lu Daand the butcher have a fight!
- Chapter 4. Mr. Zhao gives aims to the ManjusriTemple; The new monk sets a bad example!
- Chapter 5. The Big Chief comes to his wedding night drunk; Pandemonium raised by aboisterous monk!
- Chapter 6. The Tattooed Dragon goes it on his own;Profound Wisdom burns the temple down!
- Chapter 7. The Flowery Monk uproots a willow tree; Lin Chong’s discovered where he ought not to be!
- Chapter 8. Lin Chong’s prospects seem far from good; Zhisben to the rescue in Wild Boar Wood!
- Chapter 9. Chai Jin comes home and finds a guest; Lin Chong’s mastery is put to the test!
- Chapter 10. A snowstorm alleviates Lin Chong’s plight; Lieutenant Lu sets the stores alight!
- Chapter 11. Zhu Gui shoots an arrow as a sign; LinChong comes one snowy night to MountLiang!
- Chapter 12. The outlaws take Lin Chong on board; Yang Zhi tries to sell his sword!
- Chapter 13. Suo Chao the Hasty shows his battle skills; Yang Zhi gives the people of Daming somethrills!
- Chapter 14. The Red-Haired Devil sleeps it off in thetemple; Boss Chao plays host and decidesto adopt a nephew!
- Chapter 15. Wu Yong gets the Ruan Brothers’ ear; Gongsun Sheng becomes the seventh star!
- Chapter 16. Yang Zhi insists on his own style; Wu Yong gets the goods by guile!
- Chapter 17. The mountain chief experiences disaster; In the fortress, Yang Zhi becomes joint master!
- Chapter 18. Song Jiang rides to give his friend awarning; Zhu Tong confuses everyone till morning!
- Chapter 19. Up in the fortress, Lin Chong rocks theboat! Down in the Marshes, an army’s put to rout!
- Chapter 20. Chao Gai becomes chief of the mountain retreat; Liu Tang leaves town on a moonlit night!
- Chapter 21. The bawd gets drunk and shows Bullock Tang the door; Song Jiang sees red — and Poxi is no more!
- Chapter 22❦The old woman shelves her grievancewhen they pay; Sergeant Zhu allows SongJiang to get away!