Legends of the Tang and Song Dynasties referred to some of the novels that circulated in the Tang and Song Dynasties. They were often considered to be one of the pioneers of ancient Chinese vernacular novels. These novels were easy to understand and used many spoken languages and slang, as well as vivid descriptions and descriptions. However, whether it was called the ancestor of ancient Chinese vernacular novels still needed further discussion. The development of ancient Chinese novels was very long, from the early supernatural stories and legends to modern vernacular novels and classical novels. Each period had its own unique characteristics and style. Therefore, although the legends of Tang and Song had an important position in the history of vernacular novels, they could not simply be called "the ancestor of ancient Chinese vernacular novels".
The Tang, Song, Ci, and Yuan Dynasties were three important periods in the history of Chinese literature: the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), and the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). Yuanqu was a literary form of the Yuan Dynasty, including many folk tales and legends, as well as a large number of rap literature works. The ancient vernacular novels referred to some of the short novels in ancient China, such as Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margins, Journey to the West, and so on. These novels had a great change and innovation in literary form and content. They were the classics of ancient Chinese novels.
Ancient Chinese and vernacular Chinese were not exactly the same. Although they may have some similarities in some aspects, they have great differences in expressions, grammar structures, words, and so on. Ancient prose usually used more professional vocabulary and grammar structures, and the way of expression was more concise. It often used some figurative, symbolic, and other rhetorical devices to convey ideas. The vernacular paid more attention to the accuracy and understandability of expression, using more easy-to-understand vocabulary and grammar structures, and paying more attention to the logic and cohesiveness of expressing ideas. The difficulty of reading ancient and vernacular Chinese was also different. Reading ancient texts might require a certain foundation and reading ability in classical Chinese, while vernacular Chinese was relatively easier. Ancient Chinese and vernacular Chinese were very different in terms of language form and expression of ideas. It was necessary to choose the reading target according to different reading needs and purposes.
The vernacular and the ancient prose were different forms of language expression. The vernacular was the product of the development of modern Chinese, while the ancient prose was the product of the development of ancient Chinese. They have different grammar, vocabulary, and expressions, so they can't be simply said to be "yes" or "no" but have their own unique characteristics.
The vernacular language referred to modern Chinese, which had nothing to do with ancient Chinese and Mandarin. The vernacular was a literary form that rose in China at the beginning of the 20th century. It was based on modern Chinese and expressed thoughts and emotions through simplicity and summary. It was one of the dominant language forms of modern Chinese literature. Ancient Chinese referred to the characters, languages, and cultures that had been passed down from the Pre-Qin, Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties. The main feature of ancient Chinese was the use of strict, standardized language forms with unique styles and rhythms. Mandarin was the official language of the People's Republic of China, which was the standard form of modern Chinese.
The classical Chinese novel is a more standard form of text compared to the ancient vernacular. Its characteristic is to use the vocabulary and grammar of the classical Chinese to express ideas while maintaining the narrative style and rhythm of the original text. In Chinese culture, classical Chinese novels have always been valued because they can better convey the author's thoughts and emotions, and at the same time, allow readers to better understand and appreciate literary works. At present, there are many classical Chinese novels such as Dream of the Red Chamber, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margins, etc. These works are all classics of Chinese classical literature with high artistic and cultural value. The publication and circulation of classical Chinese novels can be traced back to ancient times, and they are still widely read and studied.
A novel written in classical Chinese referred to a novel written in classical Chinese that was different from the ancient vernacular. In Chinese history, classical Chinese was the official written language until the beginning of the 20th century. Although classical Chinese novels were not popular in the past, they were still reflected in modern literature. For example, the ancient Chinese novel " Dream of the Red Chamber " was written in classical Chinese.
The person who invented ancient prose into vernacular was called Lu Xun.
What ancient language do you want to translate?
The Song and Yuan Dynasty's story-telling scripts played an important role in the development of Chinese novels, and had a profound influence on the development of modern Chinese novels. Song and Yuan Huaben refer to the novels of the Song and Yuan Dynasties in China, which were mostly created by the people, and many of them have been handed down to this day. Song and Yuan Huaben were known for their twists and turns in plots, vivid characters, and humorous language. Many works were reflections of social reality. These works have an important position in the history of Chinese novels. They not only created the first of their kind in Chinese novels, but also had a profound impact on the development of modern Chinese novels. The influence of Song and Yuan Huaben on Chinese literature was mainly manifested in the following aspects: He was the pioneer of Chinese novels. The Song and Yuan Dynasty's story-telling was the first step in the history of Chinese novels. It created the first precedent of Chinese novels and laid the foundation for the development of Chinese novels. It had a profound influence on the form and style of Chinese literature. The Song and Yuan Dynasty's version of stories had a profound influence on the form and style of Chinese novels with its unique artistic form and style, which provided important reference and enlightenment for the development of modern Chinese novels. 3 reflected the reality of Chinese society. The Song and Yuan vernacular works were mostly folk works that reflected the reality of Chinese society, including war, officialdom, social customs and so on. These works became an important channel to reflect the problems of Chinese society. 4. Enriching the content of Chinese literature. Song and Yuan Huaben not only created a precedent for Chinese novels with its unique artistic form and style, but also enriched the content of Chinese literature and provided important support for the variety of Chinese literature. The Song and Yuan Dynasty's story-telling scripts played an important role in the development of Chinese novels, which had a far-reaching impact on the development of modern Chinese novels.
Both classical Chinese and ancient vernacular novels are literary forms, but classical Chinese refers to ancient Chinese as a written language, while ancient vernacular novels use modern Chinese as the language. In Chinese history, there are many famous ancient vernacular novels such as "Dream of the Red Chamber","Water Margins","Journey to the West" and so on.