The ancients always said Jianghu. What exactly is Jianghu?

In ancient times, it was always said that society was Jianghu, so what was Jianghu? In fact, Jianghu is difficult to define. I think Jianghu includes three religions and nine streams, as well as people's religious beliefs, Jianghu organizations, Jianghu rules and so on. Anyway, it is not a traditional society, that is, it is integrated with the people but different from the people, but it is really the opposite of life in the palace.

Now we look up the meaning of Jianghu in the Chinese dictionary, and we can find that Jianghu actually has two explanations. One kind is people who wandered around by fortune telling and selling medicine in ancient times, and the other is people who live in all corners of the country. So I think for ancient people, rivers and lakes are actually a general term. Even where there are people, there are only rivers and lakes where there are enemies. Most people in the Jianghu live by wandering alone in the society, but they abide by the rules of the Jianghu. They say that they are bohemian but a well-behaved person, and they say that they have no feelings, but they are actually very loyal people.

Secondly, I think Jianghu and our so-called orthodox society are completely different things. The so-called orthodox society may be what we call marrying and having children, earning both fame and fortune, becoming an official in the DPRK and then retiring in old age, which is somewhat similar to our modern numb life, but the rivers and lakes are different. There are beggars but heroes, fortune tellers, real monks, and those who are bankrupt but proud. Rivers and lakes contain everything, all kinds of colors of society. When we talk about Jianghu people, we must be people who exist in society.

Secondly, I also think that rivers and lakes are actually a low-level status quo in ancient society. Why is it that there were many nobles in ancient times, and most of their rights and money were in the hands of nobles, while most Jianghu people were forced to take some informal means to make a living, thus giving birth to a large number of chivalrous men, eminent monks and cheaters, all of whom were derived from local ruffians and hooligans?

Jianghu is a place where subculture and popular culture merge. There are both religious beliefs and Jianghu organizations. He is free, but he is bound by rivers and lakes. Similarly, some people commit crimes, some uphold justice, some are good, and some are evil. So rivers and lakes really can only understand, but can't express.