Shi Yukun
Shi Yukun (fl. 19th century), courtesy name Zhenzhi, was a highly popular Qing dynasty storyteller who performed in Beijing during the first half of the 19th century. Little is known about his life, but anecdotes recorded in the 1940s claimed he worked as a Booi Aha at prince Zhaolian's mansion before he became a performer.
He is the credited author of the 1879 wuxia novel The Tale of Loyal Heroes and Righteous Gallants—better known today as The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants or The Three Heroes and Five Gallants—as well as some of its sequels. While the first novel was undoubtedly based on his oral performances, most modern scholars believe Shi died several years before 1879 and played no role in the novel's publication. Nevertheless, his name was prominently displayed on its cover, the first time a Chinese storyteller was credited as a novel's sole author.
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