A Study On The Artistic Achievements Of Xiong Zhaozheng's Historical Novel Zhang Juzheng

Zhang Juzheng, a historical novel ,written by Hubei writer Xiong Zhaozheng, successfully portrays a politician and reformer during the Wanli Period of Ming Dynasty. The novel contains both the writer's reflection on history and his concern of reality. Composed of four volumes, the novel is not only well-structured but also demonstrates an accurate understanding of the fate of characters. This paper analyzes a series of issues related to the writing of historical novels, such as, what kind of concept of history should be employed in the production of historical novels, the relations between facts and fiction, the relations between historical characters and artistic representations, the narratives of historical novels, the perspective of folk culture, the issue of historical space and historical imagination. Centered around those issues, this paper offers a close examination of the skillful representation of a historical character in Xiong's novel.