"Shen Xiao Xiu Lü (Complete 4 Volumes)"

Author: Jin Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: This book is one of Jin Yong's works, with the love story between Yang Guo and Xiao Longnü as its main plot, depicting their journey through hardships and ultimately becoming a couple. The entire story is vividly written, with brilliant martial arts descriptions and an touching love story, making it a gem in the genre of martial arts fiction. Excerpt: "A Yue girl picks lotus by the autumn waterside, narrow sleeves of light silk, revealing golden bracelets. Reflecting her shadow, she plucks lotus flowers like her face, her heart entangled with silk in confusion. At the creek's edge, the wind rages late, misty and faint, obscuring her companion. A soft, melodious song drifts on the misty lake. The voice comes from a small boat where five girls laugh and sing, rowing to pick lotus flowers. The song is the 'Butterfly Lovers' (Di Lie Hua) by the great Northern Song poet Ouyang Xiu, describing the scene of Yue girls picking lotus. Though only sixty-six characters long, it vividly portrays the season, time, location, scenery, and the appearance, attire, jewelry, and emotions of the Yue girls. The second half of the poem blends scenery with narrative, and narrative with sentiment, drawing from near to far, leaving a lingering sense of depth. Ouyang Xiu, having long served in the Jiangnan region, infused the tender emotions of the Wu and Yue mountains and waters into his verses. During the Song Dynasty, both high officials and commoners enjoyed singing lyrics, so when Liu Yong's new songs were released, they were sung everywhere. Along the Jiangnan spring shores, where willows were, and autumn lakes where lotus was picked, often accompanied by Ouyang's verses."