Kāngxī Xiáyì Zhuàn 康熙俠義傳
The Tale of Chivalry and Righteousness in the Kangxi Reign
by 貪夢道人 (撰)
About the work
Kāngxī Xiáyì Zhuàn 康熙俠義傳 (The Tale of Chivalry and Righteousness in the Kangxi Reign) is a large vernacular novel in 197 huí organized in two parts (第一部, 第二部), attributed to the pen name Tānmèng Dàorén 貪夢道人 (“The Daoist Who Is Greedy for Dreams”). The novel belongs to the xiáyì 俠義 (chivalry and righteousness) fiction genre — a subtype of late-Qīng popular fiction featuring heroic outlaw-knights, loyal sworn-brotherhoods, and virtuous “wandering heroes” (yóuxiá 遊俠) operating in the service of a sagacious emperor. Set during the Kāngxī reign (1662–1722), it combines the conventions of the gōng’àn (legal case) and xiáyì subgenres: the Kāngxī Emperor himself travels incognito (wēifú sīfǎng 微服私訪), witnesses injustice, and is aided by various heroic figures.
Tiyao
No tiyao found in source.
Abstract
The novel opens with the Kāngxī Emperor’s incognito inspection journey, during which he encounters Hú Zhōngxiào 胡忠孝 in distress. The cast of heroes includes Wáng Hélóng 王河龍 (who saves the emperor), Mǎ Chénglóng 馬成龍 (a heroic fighter), Liǔ Jīnduó 柳金鐸, and the formidable martial hero Shāndōng Mǎ 山東馬 (“Shandong Ma,” the novel’s principal action hero). Against them stand the “Four Tyrants of Heaven” (Sì Bà Tiān 四霸天) and various local bullies and corrupt officials. The two-part structure (each part ending with resolution) follows the standard xiáyì episodic format: heroes prove themselves, are recruited, and ultimately serve the throne against internal enemies.
The Kāngxī Xiáyì Zhuàn belongs to a well-defined late-Qīng sub-genre that includes texts such as Shīgōng’àn 施公案, Péng Gōng’àn 彭公案, Sān Xiá Wǔ Yì 三俠五義, and their sequels. These works all feature an idealized sage-emperor whose justice is championed by heroic commoners and itinerant warriors. The Kāngxī Emperor’s incognito travel trope (wēifú sīfǎng) is a particularly common device in this genre.
The pen name Tānmèng Dàorén 貪夢道人 is unattested in standard reference works. CBDB contains no entry. Stylistic features and the publishing context suggest a late-Qīng composition, probably second half of the nineteenth century or early twentieth century.
Translations and research
- Blader, Susan. 1977. “A Critical Study of ‘San-hsia wu-i’ and Its Relationship to the Lung-t’u Kung-an Fiction Tradition.” PhD diss., University of Pennsylvania. (Background on the xiáyì fiction genre to which this novel belongs.)
- Ōtsuka Hidetaka 大塚秀高. 1987. Zōho Chūgoku tsūzoku shōsetsu shomoku 増補中国通俗小説書目. Kyūko shoin. (The standard Japanese bibliography of Chinese popular fiction; may include this title.)
No English translation of this novel located.
Links
- Wikipedia — Wuxia fiction (genre background)