Everyone recognizes that Jin Sheng-tan, during the XVIIth century, published what is now famous as the original version of a novel that obtained the interest and infatuation of successive generations.
Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh ("All men are brothers" in Pearl Buck's translation, "Shui hu zhuan" in Chinese, "Au Bord de l'Eau" in French ) is an immortal novel because its tale is universal : it speaks of beings (outlaws but also notables, strong muscled heroes but also intellectual, anarchists but also philosophers...) who cannot bear injustice nor abuse nor arbitrariness...
That is the reason they are immortal and their popularity has lasted for centuries .