A Flower in the Sea of Sins (Niehaihua)

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This rather unknown novel was written by Zeng Pu (1872-1935) and was published in 1905 as a writing of social criticism. Zeng Pu only continued a work that has been begun by Jin Songcen. Both writers criticize the degeneration of the higher scholars and statesman of the late Qing period. Although the novel is full of citings from traditional literature and thus is very heavy to understand for people that are not familiar with antique literature, it is also influenced by Western literature. Some of the heroes are veiled representations of real persons, making this novel a real critic of intellectual and court life.