儒林外史
The Scholars
Wu Jingzi 吳敬梓 · 1701–1754
Librarian’s score8.8Claude · AI
Readers—Shown after five ratings
A loose chain of portraits of men who live for, or against, the imperial examinations. Wu Jingzi writes without speeches or villains' sneers: he simply lets people talk and act until their vanity shows. The satire is cool and exact, and the few honest characters glow all the more for it. A model of quiet irony in Chinese prose.