The fifty-six chapters of the book depict different expressions of "fame and fortune" by various people in a realistic way. On the one hand, it truly reveals the process and causes of human nature erosion, thus profoundly criticizing and mocking the corruption of bureaucracy, the drawbacks of imperial examinations and the hypocrisy of ethics at that time; On the one hand, it enthusiastically praised the protection of human nature by a few characters in a self-centered way, thus embodying the author's ideal. The use of vernacular Chinese in the novel is becoming more and more skillful, and the characterization of characters is also quite in-depth and delicate, especially the superb satirical techniques, which makes this book a masterpiece of China's classical satirical literature.
"The Scholars" represents the peak of China's ancient satirical novels, which initiated the direct evaluation of real life with novels. After the manuscript of The Scholars was published, a manuscript was handed down from generation to generation and was highly praised by later generations. Lu Xun believes that the ideological content of the book is "upholding public interests and criticizing the disadvantages of the times", and Hu Shi believes that its artistic characteristics can be called "refinement". In international sinology, this book has a great influence. It has been handed down in English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Spanish and other languages for a long time and is praised by sinologists. Some people think that The Scholars is one of the masterpieces of world literature, comparable to the works of Boccaccio, Cervantes, Balzac or Dickens, and an outstanding contribution to world literature.
Creation background
On the background of the times, capitalist relations of production sprouted in the three generations of Kangxi, Yong Zhengdi and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, and the superficial prosperity of society could not conceal the decay of feudal society. While suppressing the armed uprising, the rulers advocated neo-Confucianism to rule the mind by means of Daxing stereotyped writing and imperial examination, while Wu opposed stereotyped writing and imperial examination system, hating scholars' obsession with art and keen pursuit of fame and fortune. He reflected these views in The Scholars and exposed the ugly things in a sarcastic way.