Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.57

v2.c10.57

**Vernacular Novels** During this period, China’s vernacular novels emerged and reached their peak. Short vernacular novels were represented by “*Three Volumes of Words*” and “*Two Volumes of Slapping*”. Full-length novels were represented by *Water Margin*, *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Journey to the West*, and *A Dream of Red Mansions*, which were all deeply influenced by Buddhism. Among them were Wu Cheng’en’s (about 1510-1582) *Journey to the West*, Xu Zhonglin’s (1567-1620) *Investiture of the Gods* and Luo Maodeng’s (16ᵗʰ century) *Western Record*, all three of which were called ‘Supernatural Evil-spirit Novels’ by Lu Xun.