Heroes

 Heroes

Nantai

There are thousands of kinds of people,

Yet those who stand atop the peaks Are still heroes. Heroes are the finest among men, And literature also honors them: Sun Wukong, who fights for justice; Wu Song, the tiger-slayer; Zhuge Liang, the paragon of wisdom; Guan Yu, the saint of martial valor. Even among anti-heroes, There is Cao Cao, the epitome of cunning. The elites across all trades Are all the cream of humanity. But when literature judges a character’s beauty, It does not rank them by their heroic deeds, But by how rich their charm and verve be. He who has affection is beautiful; He who has wit is more beautiful; He who blends affection with wit is the most beautiful of all. A work becomes a classic Because its affection is revered; A witty character is a top-tier creation. In the old literature before the 21st century, Don Quixote stands unrivaled as the prime example— Which proves a point, Yet also reveals a flaw of old literature: It lacks heroes who merge affection with wit.