The four great classic Chinese novels are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the
Marsh, Journey to the West, and A Dream of Red Mansions. All the four novels were written
during the period from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties to the Qing Dynasty. They
all reflect various aspects of ancient China, including political and military strife,
social conflicts and cultural beliefs. The four novels are of supreme artistic standards,
representing the peak of China's classic novels. Lots of the characters and scenes in the
books are well-known in China and have exerted profound influences on the ideology
and values of the entire nation. Highly valuable for the research of China's ancient
customs, feudal system, and social life, the four classic novels are precious cultural
relics of China as well as the human society as a whole.