An eighteenth-century satire, it is outstanding among Chinese classic novels. The author mercilessly exposes the decadence of the literati produced by the feudal examination system, the disastrous effects of that institution, the corruption of the feudal regime, and the darkness of the feudal society. The Yangs are also the translators of the most famous Chinese classic novel A Dream of Red Mansions.
![Selected Ancient Chinese Paintings: The Prosperous Suzhou City (Xu Yang [Qing Dynasty])](/bmz_cache/3/3d9e0019b13923b1b394eac01568744f.image.130x133.jpg "Selected Ancient Chinese Paintings: The Prosperous Suzhou City (Xu Yang [Qing Dynasty])")
