User:ZimuW/Wu Jianren

Wu Jianren published one of the earliest modern Chinese novel in the 19th century. He is a representative of modern Chinese novel for two reasons, time and his technique. The time he posted his modern Chinese novel is ahead Lu Xun at least one decade, and his technique about narrator and centralized character is ahead of other novels that written in the same time. Wu Jianren wrote the most articles in the group of writers who answered Liang Qichao's call. His novel 《二十年目睹之怪现状》(Strange things observed over the past twenty years) and 《九命奇冤》(strange grievance case of nine lives) has deeply affected modern Chinese novel.

《二十年目睹之怪现状》(Strange things observed over the past twenty years) is one of the "Four Best Condemnation Novels in the Late Qing Dynasty". The story was about the story of main character 九死一生(a narrow escape from death). The twenty years in the novel was start since 九死一生(a narrow escape from death) father's death, and end in the fail of his business. The story shows reader a very comprehensive society in Qing dynasty. The novel not only talks how main character want to build his business, but also talks about many kind of people's life in Qing dynasty(thief, government agent, monk, etc.).

《九命奇冤》(strange grievance case of nine lives) is a novel that wrote based on 《梁天来警富奇书》(A mystery book of Liang Tianlai). Both of them are based on a real criminal case in Qing dynasty. Some scholars believe that the special narrative technique in this novel was influenced by Western novel.

《新石头记》Xin shitou ji (The new story of the Stone) is a novel continued the story of 《红楼梦》 (Dream of the red chamber). This is a fantacy story about Jia Baoyu exploring China in 1900s.

Wu Jianren is also one of the main editor of <月月小说>(alternative title All-story monthly). <月月小说>(alternative title All-story monthly) is a magazine with a main idea that "We talk about all weird things, many kinds of articles; with people who have amazing ideas, talk about truth, make the society better and inspire people"

In some of Wu Jianren's novel he let the self-conscious author-narrator lead readers to understand the fiction setting, sometimes he uses a prologue to help develop the fiction scene. Because he says that his story incouded some events that himself witnessed, so he can not write those work like other normal novels.

Some scholars think Wu Jianren's work was inspired by Western translated novels. Such as "A mystery book of Liang Tianlai" was considered as Oriental Sherlock Holmes. They also believe in his work "strange grievance case of nine lives" that the special narrative technique in this novel was influenced by the writing style in Western novels.

Wu Jianren was famous for his social novels, he uses irony to reflect his concern of the loosing traditional Chinese culture and shows social problems in China.

Life
Wu Jianren was born in 1866, Guangdong Foshan. His great great grandfather, grandfather, and his father all works for the Qing government. Soon after he was born, his family changed his name from Baozhen to Woyao. Wu Jianren start to go to school when he was eight, then he enrolled in Foshan Academy(Foshan shuyuan) at the age of 12. He lived in poverty since his father passed away in 1882, at that time he was 17 years old. In 1883, 18 years old Wu Jianren moved to Shanghai and start working as a waiter in the tea house, clerk in Jiangnan Manufacture General Bureau. Since 1897, he started to edit 《字林沪报》(Zilin Shanghai news)、《采风报》(Wind collector news)、《奇新报》(Peculiar news)、《寓言报》(Fable news), etc. Later in 1906, he became the Chef editor of 《月月小说》(alternative title All-story monthly). Then, he continues his life as a writer, his work includes fables, biography, and opera. He has never been rich in his life, he passed away in October 1910(45 years old) because the poverty and overwork.

Between 1902 and 1910, Wu Jianren start to publish his work. He used the knowledge that he learned in traditional Chinese study, created many great pieces of Novels-poetry, anecdotes, fiction criticism and joke collections. By the influence of Liang Qichao's "revolution of Chinese novel", he starts to writing the "New Novel".