Lancelot

Author: Lans Luo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: There are some people who you enjoy being with, but if it comes to marrying them, you don’t feel that way. Profound and romantic, the struggle and conflict only highlight the fate of love. Leaves on adjacent branches of an maple tree may not land next to each other when they fall—it’s unknown; after falling, whether new leaves will grow is perhaps. The distance of a two-sided emotion cannot be measured or grasped by anyone. Such modern love returns to a fairy-tale realm. Even today, when Korean dramas are on the rise and Taiwanese local dramas often run for hundreds of episodes, I still have a special fondness for Japanese dramas. Not to mention that the male and female protagonists are mostly handsome and sweet, but the well-paced and lingeringly satisfying storyline is the main reason why I eagerly tune in every day once I start watching. In truth, the charm of Japanese dramas lies in their constant arrangement of "one steps out, the other steps in." The loneliness extended from a near-miss encounter makes the audience, along with the characters, feel a sense of melancholy and yearn for a turn of events. Thus, I began to think that emotional misfortunes are simply a matter of timing. Following the path forward, whether it leads to sorrow or joy, is always a bittersweet experience. Upon deeper reflection, real life doesn’t have as many coincidences as we imagine. Whether it’s you or me, there are always scenes of parting and reunion unfolding around us. Only a few are due to unavoidable circumstances, while most of the staying together and parting are ultimately governed by human nature.
Like Wang Lanfen, the author of The Library Child, when A Chinese Fairy Tale was released in Taiwan, I called it A Rascal Tycoon—it is my favorite film. Over the past decade, I grew from a naive teenager to a stumbling adult, and gradually, this initially hazy story in my mind became clear. After browsing it on cable TV channels multiple times and even ordering a laser disc online to satisfy my desire, I realized what I was truly seeking was a record of my current understanding. Naming the story after the film title also carries a different kind of emotional reflection. Even after completing A Chinese Fairy Tale and transforming my past realizations into a story, and even while returning to National Cheng Kung University to pursue my graduate studies, I still had the urge to write. Because I am still growing, learning to master emotions in the ordinary, real world. And now, it is a great honor to accompany you on this journey as you read. Lans Luo