Paper Swordsmen : Jin Yong and the Modern Chinese Martial Arts Novel

The martial arts novel is one of the most distinctive and widely-read forms of modern Chinese fiction. In __Paper Swordsmen,__ John Christopher Hamm offers the first in-depth English-language study of this fascinating and influential genre, focusing on the work of its undisputed twentieth-century master, Jin Yong. Through close readings of Jin Yong’s recognized masterpieces, Hamm shows how these works combine a rich literary tradition with an extraordinary narrative artistry and an evolving appreciation of the political and cultural aspects of contemporary Chinese experience.

The martial arts novel is one of the most distinctive and widely-read forms of modern Chinese fiction. In Paper Swordsmen, John Christopher Hamm offers the first in-depth English-language study of this fascinating and influential genre, focusing on the work of its undisputed twentieth-century master, Jin Yong.

Through close readings of Jin Yong's recognized masterpieces, Hamm shows how these works combine a rich literary tradition with an extraordinary narrative artistry and an evolving appreciation of the political and cultural aspects of contemporary Chinese experience.

Contents Preface and Acknowledgments A Note on Conventions Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Local Heroes Chapter 3. The Marshes of Mount Liang Beyond the Sea Chapter 4. National Passions Chapter 5. The Empire of the Text Chapter 6. Beyond the Rivers and Lakes Chapter 7. Revision and Canonization Chapter 8. Beyond Martial Arts Fiction Chapter 9. Coming Home Chapter 10. Jin Yong at the Century’s End Notes Select Glossary of Chinese Characters Bibliography Index