Well, they are all very important in Chinese literature. They often have a large number of well - developed characters. In 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', characters like Zhuge Liang are known for their wisdom. 'Journey to the West' has the mischievous Monkey King. These novels also reflect different aspects of Chinese culture, from values to historical events.
Well, the Chinese Four Classic Novels each have their own unique features. For instance, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' is full of power struggles, heroic characters like Zhuge Liang with his great wisdom. 'Journey to the West' has the Monkey King who is extremely powerful and rebellious. 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is like a mirror of aristocratic life in ancient China, with detailed descriptions of the family's rise and fall and the love stories within. 'Water Margin' tells the story of 108 heroes gathered at Liangshan Marsh, showing their loyalty and resistance against the corrupt regime.
For 'Journey to the West', Arthur Waley's translation is quite well - received. For 'Dream of the Red Chamber', Hawkes' translation is considered one of the best. As for 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', Moss Roberts' translation has its own merits. And for 'Water Margin', Sidney Shapiro's translation is among the notable ones.
Well, they are very diverse in terms of themes. 'Water Margin' is about the adventures and rebellions of a group of heroes. Their writing styles are also very distinct. They use vivid language to describe various scenes. These novels have influenced Chinese literature and culture deeply, and have been translated into many languages to let the world know about Chinese traditional culture.
The Four Great Masterpieces of Chinese classical novels are Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Water Margins, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. These four works had a very high status in Chinese culture and were widely read, which had a great influence on the development of Chinese literature.
The main features include rich and complex storylines. For example, 'Dream of the Red Chamber' has a detailed account of aristocratic family life with numerous characters and their relationships. 'Journey to the West' is famous for its vivid description of the journey full of magic and challenges. 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' shows complex political and military strategies among different kingdoms. And 'Water Margin' presents a group of heroes with different personalities and their adventures.
The four classic love stories of ancient China were:
1. The love story between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu in Dream of the Red Chamber;
2. The love story between Lin Chong and Qin Ming in Water Margins;
3. The love story between Lu Bu and Diao Chan in Romance of the Three Kingdoms;
4. The love story of Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West.
These love stories were widely praised in ancient literature and became one of the classic love stories. The love story between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu was regarded as the first of the four classic love stories in ancient China because it was about the love story between a rich boy and a beautiful girl. It reflected the unequal status of men and women in feudal society and also showed the author Cao Xueqin's humane thoughts.