Relationship history

Author: Feng Menglong (Ming) Compiler
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A historical record of the emotions and romantic love of ancient Chinese people, breaking through the constraints of Confucian rituals and pursuing individual liberation. The Romance of the Past is a highly valuable reference book in the history of ancient Chinese fiction. The stories in the book span from the Zhou Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, collecting the diverse loves of men and women in two thousand years of feudal society. It includes the licentious and shameless lives of feudal rulers, the tragic fates of victims under the constraints of Confucian rituals, a significant portion depicting abnormal relationships outside of formal marriages, which document the distorted development of love between men and women under the feudal marriage system. There are also stories about the loyal love between young men and women, as well as tales of supernatural beings and humans, and same-sex love stories from various dynasties. Though some may seem absurd, most align with the social realities of different eras. In summary, it reveals the various emotional states of men and women across different feudal eras, providing insight into the realities of feudal society. Many stories in the book were later adapted into novels and operas.