金瓶梅

by Xiaoxiaosheng

"金瓶梅" by Xiaoxiaosheng is a Chinese novel composed during the latter half of the 16th century. This 100-chapter work follows Ximen Qing, a wealthy merchant who maintains six wives and concubines, and the domestic struggles within his household. Named after three central female characters, the novel explores power, sexuality, and moral consequences as the Ximen clan gradually declines. Once banned as pornographic, it's now recognized as a sophisticated masterwork of Chinese literature, praised for its complex character development and narrative technique.