One of the most enduring and popular folk legends of China has been the story of Lord Bao and his seven heroes and five gallants, whose exploits were sung of in ballads, opera and song for over a thousand years. The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants reveals why a social system defined by strict Confucian rules was able to exert such a strong influence, found in attitudes and life in China even to this day. The adventures of the seven heroes and five gallants provide much insignt into traditions that have formed the Chinese character through the ages.