《死水微瀾》是李劼人于1935年創(chuàng)作完成的長篇小說。出版后迅速轟動(dòng)一時(shí),郭沫若甚至稱李劼人為“中國的左拉”。該書標(biāo)志著中國現(xiàn)代長篇小說的成熟。全書共《序幕》《在天回鎮(zhèn)》《交流》《興順號(hào)的故事》《死水微瀾》《余波》六章,以1894年到1901年,即甲午中日戰(zhàn)爭到辛丑條約簽訂時(shí)的這一段時(shí)間為時(shí)代背景,講述成都城外一個(gè)小鄉(xiāng)鎮(zhèn)的人情風(fēng)貌,具體寫出當(dāng)時(shí)內(nèi)地社會(huì)上兩種惡勢(shì)力的相激相蕩,同時(shí)反映出當(dāng)時(shí)國際形勢(shì)的變化與帝國主義侵略的殘酷。對(duì)當(dāng)時(shí)地方上的民俗風(fēng)情、市民階層的心理狀態(tài)和生活方式做了惟妙惟肖的刻畫,充分展現(xiàn)了一潭死水似的現(xiàn)實(shí)黑暗面;歐美物質(zhì)文明侵入后,教民和袍哥兩股勢(shì)力的相互激蕩和消長,在“死水”上激起“微瀾”,點(diǎn)染出帝國主義入侵中國、清政府對(duì)外屈辱投降的歷史氣氛。 Ripples Across Stagnant Water is a novel written by Li Jieren in 1935. This book marks the maturity of modern Chinese novels. The book consists of six chapters, with the period from 1894 to 1901 as the background, telling about the customs of a small town outside Chengdu, specifically describing the fierce interaction of two evil forces in the local society, and reflecting the changes of the international situation and the cruelty of the imperialist aggression at that time.