Appreciation

The works that shape Lin Chong's image include novels and operas. In China's traditional drama, the sword is the most important. Sword Story is a legend compiled by Li Kaixian, a Chinese opera writer in the middle of Ming Dynasty, based on the story that Lin Chong was driven to Liangshan. It depicts the sad image of Lin Chong who was persecuted repeatedly, was in trouble but did not lose his integrity, was loyal to the court and was eventually exiled.

Lin Chong was familiar with poetry books and studied the art of war since childhood. Under the influence of Lin You, the father of an official, Lin Chong is knowledgeable and proficient in civil and military affairs. In the depths of his thoughts, the orthodox Confucian blood of China's ancient service to the country is hidden. His personality cultivation and ideal pursuit are the best, the most beautiful and the most common, with both loyalty and filial piety, and both courtesy and righteousness. He was loyal to his duties and strict with himself in border military control, and made many remarkable achievements for the long-term stability of the border areas. His outstanding achievements and loyalty to honest and frank were not rewarded and promoted by the fatuous court, but were appropriated by Tong Guan with ulterior motives and heavy jealousy. Lin Chong was demoted as an imperial coach in charge of military affairs. Being demoted is an ominous sign, which indicates that a bumpy and tragic life course has begun since then. The persecutions of wind, frost, sword and shadow made Zhong Dan and honest and frank of Lin Chong completely defeated and destroyed.

Lin Chong didn't realize the bad luck that relegation brought him. He loves his wife and mother deeply, and at the same time he is cynical and full of hatred. Facing the corruption of the imperial court and the arrogance of the traitors, Lin Chong resolutely maintained his enthusiasm for the Minister's Day and wrote to the emperor in order to make great efforts to punish the traitors' relatives and stabilize the great cause of the country. This move requires courage and courage. However, because the officials in power are in charge of state affairs and their cronies are traitors, the legendary chain reaction of disasters, such as straying into Baihutang, being sent to Cangzhou and the temple of the victims, fell on him. The poor official's career ended tragically.

Lin Chong appeared as an insightful national political participant in his works, which was opposite to the court traitor. His concern for the troubles of state affairs shows that the Confucian education he received since childhood is at work. The purpose of loyalty to the imperial court is to revitalize discipline and consolidate the country and the people. The "loyalty" here can be said to be not a kind of foolish loyalty. Lin Chong's understanding of "loyalty" is still relatively clear. The object of "loyalty" is the wise politics that represents the interests of the country and the nation, and it is the embodiment of a decent personality with high spirits and vigor. It is different from "loyalty" advocated by the feudal ruling class. Although both Lin Chong and Liangshan heroes showed serious compromise by opposing corrupt officials and not the emperor, Lin Chong's "loyalty" was more popular and extensive than the "loyalty" generally accepted in history. The concept of "loyalty" of the feudal ruling class, which is generally accepted in history, pays more attention to the dependence and obedience of ministers to the monarch, and emphasizes the absolute ruling command of the monarch to ministers. It is purely a political concept, and it works with the state machine to safeguard the ruling interests. However, Lin Chong's "loyalty" has penetrated into the self-cultivation elements of his ideal personality. It is only a kind desire and behavior, and there is no complicated two-way relationship. This pure and kind loyalty limited his resistance and aggravated his life tragedy.

On the one hand, Lin Chong's dissatisfaction with Tong Guan and Gao Qiu stems from his duty as a courtier, on the other hand, it comes from his strong and honest character. This is consistent with his loyalty to the court and his personality spirit. It is precisely because of these two reasons that Lin Chong's detestable and upright character is more distinct and typical in the lyric drama plot structure.

Lin Chong is a living stage image. In addition to his deep loyalty to the court, he was attached to his old mother and wife. His filial piety to his mother is a reward for the kindness of raising and a love for his loving mother. Love for his wife reflects the mutual respect and consideration between husband and wife, and does not belong to the custom of heroic beauty. The second half of Jian's story is full of pen and ink, which exaggerates this touching feeling. Although it is inevitable to overdo it, it has played a certain role in deepening Lin Chong's image.

Lin chong was forced to revolt. His understanding of the peasant uprising is vague, and deep down he seems to have no consciousness of participating in the peasant uprising at all. The bullying and persecution of traitors made him feel at a loss for the help of Jianghu heroes before joining the rebel army. In the play "Fairy Sword", in order to be eliminated, Lin Chong handed over the treacherous court official and the chaotic party in the imperial court, and soon accepted the gift of the emperor and gave a performance of glorifying ancestors, which made punishing the treacherous court official party an opportunity for Lin Chong to plot revenge in Liangshan. This far-fetched happy ending of the traditional opera structure has a negative impact on Lin Chong's image and weakened the tragic atmosphere of the characters. At the same time, it is a failure to insert Lin Chong into the play and ask the fortune teller to predict good or bad luck, which is detrimental to the fullness of the characters.

Lin Chong in China's traditional drama originated from the legendary novel Water Margin. Although there are many similarities in structural plot and characterization, drama and novel are two different genre forms after all, not to mention they were not created by one person, so they have different styles in portraying Lin Chong's image. Lin Chong in the play is a regime participant who opposes traitors, while Lin Chong in the novel is a hero and legend. In character, the former is loyal and naive, while the latter is brave and upright; Lin Chong in the traditional opera shows more loyalty and righteousness, while Lin Chong in the novel focuses on benevolence and righteousness. The former has obvious political inclination, while the latter has heavy human feelings; The resistance in the novel has a group color, and the resistance in the opera refers to Lin Chong alone, so the resistance is not as strong as in the novel.

Lin Chong, as a highly political figure in Ming Dynasty's opera works, was consistent with the realistic atmosphere of opposing North Korea's decay at that time, and Lin Chong in Sword was the representative who adapted to this era.