The Man of Bold Deeds
A Complete English Translation of Wuseshizhuren’s Classic Early Qing Heroic Novel
Poverty, humiliation, corrupt examinations, sworn brotherhood, thieves, courtesans, foreign kingdoms, military adventure - and the extraordinary rise of a man determined to remember every kindness and answer every injustice.
The Man of Bold Deeds (快士傳, Kuai Shi Zhuan) is a lively early Qing dynasty novel traditionally published under the name Wuseshizhuren, meaning “Master of the Five-Colored Stone.” Combining social comedy, moral fiction, heroic adventure, examination satire, courtroom intrigue, romance, and military drama, the novel follows an impoverished scholar whose intelligence and courage carry him from disgrace to national prominence.
About the Book
Dong Wen is born into a respected scholarly family that has fallen into poverty. Although talented, handsome, generous, and ambitious, he is mocked by wealthy relatives, rejected by an unjust social order, and prevented from advancing through the examination system because he lacks money and influential connections.
His wealthy future father-in-law regrets promising his daughter, Chai Shuzi, to such a poor young man and attempts to escape the marriage. Chai Shuzi, however, refuses to abandon Dong Wen. While her foolish brother obtains academic distinction through bribery and deception, Dong Wen must survive humiliation, debt, false accusations, corrupt officials, and the schemes of men who believe poverty makes him powerless.
His fortunes begin to change when courageous and discerning allies recognize his true abilities. Dong Wen develops both his literary and martial talents, enters the service of powerful officials, and gradually becomes known as a man capable of succeeding through intelligence, bravery, loyalty, and moral discipline.
The story expands far beyond the world of examinations and arranged marriage. Dong Wen encounters generous warriors, dishonest scholars, supernatural warnings, ingenious thieves, corrupt servants, monks, courtesans, eunuchs, military commanders, and political rivals. His sworn brother Chang Qi follows an equally astonishing path - one involving revenge, imprisonment, escape, a foreign kingdom, a warrior princess, and a conflict that threatens to bring the two friends together as enemies.
Originally arranged in sixteen volumes, the novel moves from domestic social satire into heroic adventure and international warfare while maintaining its central concern: what makes a person genuinely worthy of honor?
A Hero of Gratitude and Justice
The novel’s opening declares that its hero will be a man who distinguishes clearly between kindness and injury while remaining untouched by greed and sexual temptation. Dong Wen is not presented merely as a successful scholar. He is tested repeatedly through wealth, power, resentment, friendship, and desire.
When offered advancement, riches, and even a beautiful foreign princess, he must decide whether success is worth betraying those who remained loyal to him during his years of poverty.
This gives the novel an unusually broad combination of qualities:
the intimacy of a marriage story
the social criticism of an examination novel
the excitement of a heroic romance
the schemes and reversals of courtroom fiction
the scale of a military adventure
the moral structure of a traditional tale of justice
The result is a novel in which personal integrity is tested not only by suffering, but also by sudden success.
At a glance
About the series
Rediscover the great epics, mysteries and chronicles of dynastic China: gods and generals, swindlers and scholars, courtesans, ghosts and emperors, in complete English translations.
