Twelve Floors (Popularization Library of Classical Chinese Novels of China)

Author: Li Yu of the Qing Dynasty
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: In the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign (1651), Li Yu came to Hangzhou and stayed there for ten years. By the beautiful banks of Benzi Lake, he entered a peak of his creative career, writing a large number of dramatic and fictional works. The famous collection of vernacular tales Twelve Pavilions was completed during this period. Twelve Pavilions consists of twelve volumes, with each volume telling a story. Since each story features a pavilion, and the characters' fates and plot developments are often tied to these pavilions, the entire collection is named "Twelve Pavilions," which reflects Li Yu's meticulous craftsmanship in writing fiction. Twelve Pavilions is highly entertaining, with a light and joyful tone. His works often lack profound social commentary or philosophical depth, but each story is fresh, witty, and delightful. Out of the twelve stories, the majority were entirely conceived by Li Yu himself, rather than drawing on external sources. The themes are clear, the plots are well-structured, and the central characters remain consistent throughout, without any unnecessary digressions. The plot designs are novel and imaginative, often full of twists and turns, suspense, and surprising revelations, yet the transitions are natural and logical, without any flaws. The endings, however, are both unexpected yet reasonable.