明代书商首提“四大奇书”。最近几十年流行起来“四大名著”。中国古代小说能称得上名著的何止这四部?《儒林外史》、《聊斋志异》、《孽海花》……哪个不算?区别就在这“大”——伟大。四大名著代表着中国传统文化在小说方面的最高成就,是中国古今各阶层人士最熟悉、最喜欢的文艺巨著,像四面镜子,映照出中国人的某些文化、心理特质。 Booksellers in the Ming Dynasty first mention “four big book ”. Popular in recent decades “Four famous ”. The four ancient Chinese novels can be regarded as famous? “Rulin Wai Shi,” “Strange Tales of Liaozhai”, “Niehaihua” ... which is not? The difference is in this “big ” - great. The four masterpieces represent the highest accomplishments of Chinese traditional culture in novels. They are the most familiar and favorite works of literature and art of all walks of life in ancient and modern China. They look like four mirrors and reflect some of the cultural and psychological qualities of the Chinese people.