内容简介
Inthisfirstofaplannedfive-volumeset,DavidRoyprovidesacompleteandannotatedtranslationofthefamousChinP'ingMei,ananonymoussixteenth-centuryChinesenovelthatfocusesonthedomesticlifeofHsi-menCh'ing,acorrupt,upwardlymobilemerchantinaprovincialtown,whomaintainsaharemofsixwivesandconcubines.Thiswork,knownprimarilyforitseroticrealism,isalsoalandmarkinthedevelopmentofthenarrativeartform--notonlyfromaspecificallyChineseperspectivebutinaworld-historicalcontext.